Gerrard Phillips e xecutive medical director Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians UK The Federation Delivers exams training CPD on b ehalf of RCPL RCPE RCPSG Exams delivered Part 1 written MRCPUK 3 dietsyear ID: 920178
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Slide1
Exams in the time of COVID-19
Gerrard Phillips
e
xecutive medical director
Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians (UK)
Slide2The Federation
Delivers exams, training, CPD on
b
ehalf of RCPL, RCPE, RCPSG
Exams delivered
Part 1 written MRCP(UK); 3 diets/year
Part 2 written MRCP(UK); 3 diets/year
PACES, clinical exam, MRCP(UK); 3 diets/year
Eleven Specialty certificate exams (SCE); once/year
Domestic and international
All exams cancelled from March 2020
Slide3M
R
CP
(UK)
by numbers
2
6
,000candidates p.a.
1
4
examinations
50+
c
ountries
438
que
stion writers
51
Boa
rds
325
boa
rd members
36,000
qu
estions
2
,
000
c
l
i
n
ic
a
l
ex
a
m
i
n
e
rs
Slide4MRCP(UK) written exams
Normally sat in centres, pencil and paper
Usual candidate numbers
Part 1: 1,300-1,700 UK; 2000 international
Part 2: 1,000 UK; 1,000 internationalPACES: 1,000 – 1,500 UK; variable number international
Slide5Restart considerations
Infection control, social distancing, safety of all
Career progression
Satisfy our regulator (GMC)
Derogations – MRCP, not SCEsLong term patient safety – validity, reliability, standard should not changeIncreased numbers
Slide6Written work stream group
20 meetings
Infection control policies (HQ, Temp checks, invigilator instructions)
Candidate prioritisation
On line pilotsProcurement of commercial partnersProctoringLead timeExam securityChanges to exam regulations, appealsResults delayShort notice centre closures, modality selectionCandidate practice examsContingency examsComparison of formats, adjustment of pass markCommunications ++
Slide7MRCP(UK) written exams
Part 1
2,300 UK, 2,700 international = 5000 (3,700; 40 % increase)
UK: 1,800 PP; 460 online
Part 21,700 UK, 1,700 international = 3,400 (70% increase)UK: 500 PP; 1200 onlineResultsRelatively few IT problemsOnline and PP candidate performance similar
Slide8Specialty certificate exams
N= 11; 2 are harmonised European exams (gastroenterology/hepatology; nephrology)
CBT in centres; IC and SD set by commercial partner
All ran satisfactorily
Contingency exams
Slide9The future
g
radual transition during 2021 to fully online exams
Slide10Advice I
A lot of work, multiple meetings (20 so far)
M
any people to coordinate: clinicians, question writers, exam board chairs and secretaries, psychometricians, editorial staff, operational delivery teams,
comms teamsStart with hybrid model, small online cohortNeed significant lead time to planContingency exams require more questions and more papersContingency planning Need good flexible website
Slide11Advice
II -
Comms
Applications – windows, issues
Prioritisation of candidates if demand > supplyExam on-boarding (practice)Exam questions (practice)Explicit proctor/invigilator adviceDealing with candidate problems on the dayResults delay (pass mark)Justify fees
Slide12Advice III - requirements
S
ignificant infrastructure
Technical
ITHumanGood organisational skillsBuild in contingency planningBuy a crystal ball!
Slide13Conclusions
examinations (
and their delivery!
) are
formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer