A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programme
Background: The outcome of the undergraduate medical programme is to produce clinically competent health care providers relevant for the South African context. Educational institutions find it hard to ensure the quality of assessments where competency must be assessed. This study aimed to compile an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2020-02-01
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| Series: | South African Family Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5030 |
| _version_ | 1818772282433077248 |
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| author | Hanneke Brits Johan Bezuidenhout Lynette J. van der Merwe |
| author_facet | Hanneke Brits Johan Bezuidenhout Lynette J. van der Merwe |
| author_sort | Hanneke Brits |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The outcome of the undergraduate medical programme is to produce clinically competent health care providers relevant for the South African context. Educational institutions find it hard to ensure the quality of assessments where competency must be assessed. This study aimed to compile an assessment framework that can be used to benchmark current assessment practices in the clinical phase of the undergraduate medical programme where competency must be certified.
Methods: In this observational, descriptive study, qualitative data were gathered using the steps described by the World Health Organization for rapid reviews. Literature was searched, screened and selected before data were analysed and a framework was constructed.
Results: Twenty-five official documents were included in the study. The framework addressed the three components of quality assessment, namely, accreditation, assessment and quality assurance. Assessors should attend to the principles of assessment, namely, validity, reliability, fairness, feasibility, educational effect and acceptability, but realise that no assessment meets all these criteria. The first step to ensure quality assessment is to identify a clear outcome. Assessment should be planned and aligned with this outcome.
Conclusion: It is clear that clinical assessment is multidimensional and that no assessment is perfect. Programme accreditation, assessment practices and psychometrics can assist to improve the quality of assessment but cannot judge clinical competence. Using experienced assessors with a variety of assessment methods on a continuous basis is the proposed way to assess clinical competence. An assessment framework can assist to improve assessment, but it cannot guarantee quality assessment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:06:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0a1ace35c097495fa82831df53ef6608 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-6190 2078-6204 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:06:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-0a1ace35c097495fa82831df53ef66082022-12-21T21:11:31ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042020-02-01621e1e910.4102/safp.v62i1.50304021A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programmeHanneke Brits0Johan Bezuidenhout1Lynette J. van der Merwe2Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Free State University, BloemfonteinDepartment of Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Free State University, BloemfonteinDepartment of Undergraduate Programme Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinBackground: The outcome of the undergraduate medical programme is to produce clinically competent health care providers relevant for the South African context. Educational institutions find it hard to ensure the quality of assessments where competency must be assessed. This study aimed to compile an assessment framework that can be used to benchmark current assessment practices in the clinical phase of the undergraduate medical programme where competency must be certified. Methods: In this observational, descriptive study, qualitative data were gathered using the steps described by the World Health Organization for rapid reviews. Literature was searched, screened and selected before data were analysed and a framework was constructed. Results: Twenty-five official documents were included in the study. The framework addressed the three components of quality assessment, namely, accreditation, assessment and quality assurance. Assessors should attend to the principles of assessment, namely, validity, reliability, fairness, feasibility, educational effect and acceptability, but realise that no assessment meets all these criteria. The first step to ensure quality assessment is to identify a clear outcome. Assessment should be planned and aligned with this outcome. Conclusion: It is clear that clinical assessment is multidimensional and that no assessment is perfect. Programme accreditation, assessment practices and psychometrics can assist to improve the quality of assessment but cannot judge clinical competence. Using experienced assessors with a variety of assessment methods on a continuous basis is the proposed way to assess clinical competence. An assessment framework can assist to improve assessment, but it cannot guarantee quality assessment.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5030accreditationassessment policiesassessment guidelinesclinical assessmentquality assurance in assessmentprinciples of quality assessmentundergraduate assessment |
| spellingShingle | Hanneke Brits Johan Bezuidenhout Lynette J. van der Merwe A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programme South African Family Practice accreditation assessment policies assessment guidelines clinical assessment quality assurance in assessment principles of quality assessment undergraduate assessment |
| title | A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programme |
| title_full | A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programme |
| title_fullStr | A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programme |
| title_full_unstemmed | A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programme |
| title_short | A framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a South African undergraduate medical programme |
| title_sort | framework to benchmark the quality of clinical assessment in a south african undergraduate medical programme |
| topic | accreditation assessment policies assessment guidelines clinical assessment quality assurance in assessment principles of quality assessment undergraduate assessment |
| url | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5030 |
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