Workshop 4 – (mapped to Framework Area 4: Enhancing Learning through Assessment)

Equity and Assessment  

Facilitators: William Lawrence, Minnie Randle and Kirstin Stuart James

Assessments can provide meaningful performance data but this information is prone to harmful bias which may disproportionately negatively affect Widening Participation (WP) students and trainees. The efforts to diversify Scotland’s medical workforce cannot, therefore, focus solely on medical school widening participation programmes, and mitigation of the impact of differential attainment by students on selection for competitive clinical and faculty careers will require national conversations about more inclusive learning environments.

Can assessment ever truly be “fair”? In this workshop, participants will discuss the challenges faced by junior doctors and medical students from widening participation (WP) backgrounds when undergoing assessment. The group will consider how our practices can be changed to ensure the way we assess allows tomorrow’s doctors to shine.

 Learning outcomes:

• Discuss the purpose of assessment within the context of learning and professional growth 
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• Defend assessment schedules that are criterion based and which reward multiple dimensions of clinical care
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• Recognise the additional challenges of WP status during assessment