Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine (FACRRM) Assessment: a review of the first 12 years

Abstract

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. This paper provides an overview of the first 12 years of the formal assessment program of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). The ACRRM Fellowship represents the world's first and only Fellowship exam in Rural Medicine.The ACRRM assessment program is mapped to its Rural Generalist curriculum, based on the principles of programmatic assessment. ACRRM offers candidates the opportunity to participate in assessment in or close to their home location. The ACRRM Rural Generalist Curriculum defines the scope and standards for independent general practice anywhere in Australia, with a focus on rural and remote settings.The program was initially developed in 2006 and has evolved during delivery from 2008 onwards, utilising the following modalities: Multi Source Feedback (MSF)Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX)Case Based Discussion (CBD)Procedural Skills LogbookStructured Assessment using Multiple Patient Scenarios (StAMPS) StAMPS is a unique examination, blending the formats of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination and a traditional viva vocè.The program has an emphasis on formative assessment. Over the past 12 years there has been considerable work in developing resources for candidates, governance structures and quality assurance processes.ACRRM's Fellowship requirements represent a customised bespoke assessment tailored to ACRRM's curriculum and the Australian rural and remote context. ACRRM's assessment program has grown substantially with 649 Fellowships being awarded from 2008 - 2019, with considerable experience gained in rural and remote assessment. It now represents a mature firmly-established process as a vocational endpoint in Rural and Remote Medicine.ACRRM has continued to offer its 'tele-assessment' program throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with candidates and examiners participating in assessment by use of distance technology while remaining in or near their home community. This model may provide some insights for other medical Colleges and educational institutions facing challenges in the current environment.

Assessment of cultural safety in a post–Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) era

“…The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine requires registrars to complete an MSF; however, there is currently no requirement for inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in this process. 21,22 Cultural safety is ongoing critical reflection Self-reflection is considered essential for lifelong learning 23 and for development of cultural safety. 24,25 Learning portfolios that include case-based discussions and reflective essays have attempted to assess critical reflection.…”

Virtual OSCE Delivery and Quality Assurance During a Pandemic: Implications for the Future

“…Remote OSCE observation via videoconferencing has been successfully used to research differences in assessor scoring behaviors, showing feasibility of the use of virtual formats ( 7 ). Similar approaches have been used for bespoke high stakes postgraduate examinations ( 8 ).…”

Twelve tips for OSCE-style Tele-assessment

“…This approach reduces the need for rural doctors -both candidates and examiners -to leave their communities for the purpose of assessment. The ACRRM Fellowship (FACRRM), the world's only Fellowship examination in Rural Medicine, represents an accredited vocational endpoint that signifies certification as a specialist in rural and remote medicine (Sen Gupta et al, 2020).…”

“…There were some modifications to the process and the timing as detailed below, but the content remained largely unchanged compared with the standard examination. ACRRM's other assessment modalities can also be undertaken at a distance (Sen Gupta et al, 2020), meaning that it has continued to offer uninterrupted assessment and training throughout the pandemic, uniquely among Australian Medical Colleges.…”