Presentation Description
Chak Man Jane Li1
Nidhi Garg2, Karen Scott1, Naomi Staples3 and Venessa Tsang2
1 University of Sydney
2 Sydney University
3 University of Sydney Medical School
Nidhi Garg2, Karen Scott1, Naomi Staples3 and Venessa Tsang2
1 University of Sydney
2 Sydney University
3 University of Sydney Medical School
Background
Workplace-based assessments (WBAs) are clinical assessment tools commonly used in competency-based medical education for assessment ‘of’ and/or ‘for’ learning. Their effectiveness and utility are dependent on user-tool-context interactions, including user engagement, assessment literacy, tool attributes and learner-educator relationships (1). This qualitative study aims to explore final year medical students’ perceptions and experiences using WBAs as a learning and assessment tool, with the goal of improving effectiveness and utility.
Summary
A portfolio of WBAs, based on Junior Medical Officer core skills, were implemented for final year medical students at Sydney University metropolitan and rural clinical schools. This accorded with Programmatic Assessment philosophy and Australian Medical Council accreditation standards. Using grounded theory, we conducted 3 focus groups with students. Taking a theory-informing inductive data analysis approach, we used line-by-line coding and constant comparison to identify initial patterns (2) and identified approaches to learning theory to interpret the data(3).
Results
Students’ learning approaches to WBAs depended on perceptions of usefulness and feasibility. When wanting to improve capability for a specific skill, they took a deep approach, seeking supervisors who gave good feedback. Most WBAs were undertaken through a strategic approach, focused on assessment outcomes. Students distinguished between: “real WBAs”, undertaken as directed, observed by a supervisor; “hypothetical WBAs” in discussion with supervisors, when they appeared unfeasible; and combined WBAs, conflating previous performance, retrospectively signed off by supervisors. Students at rural hospitals felt forced into taking a deep approach because supervisors were familiar with expected standards.
Discussion
Students make their own decisions about performing WBAs, based on their learning approach and perception of feasibility.
Conclusions
Improving supervisors’ understanding of WBAs and expected standards may help students undertake them as designed and encourage feedback.
Implications
Longitudinal research is needed to understand changes to students’ performance and learning as supervisors become more familiar with WBAs.
References (maximum three)
- Prentice, S., Benson, J., Kirkpatrick, E., & Schuwirth, L. Workplace-based assessments in postgraduate medical education: A hermeneutic review. Medical Education in Review. 2020; 54:981-992.
- Varpio L, Paradis E, Uijtdehaage S, Young M. The Distinctions Between Theory, Theoretical Framework, and Conceptual Framework. Academic Medicine. 2020;95(7):989-994.
- Entwistle, N., Hanley, M., & Hounsell, D. (1979). Identifying distinctive approaches to studying. Higher Education, 8(4), 365-380.