Final-year medical student Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine synchronous summative tele-assessments during a COVID-19 Delta-variant stay-at-home lockdown

Abstract

Objective We describe the planning, process and evaluation of final-year Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine summative assessments in a four-year graduate medical degree program, during a COVID-19 Delta-variant public health stay-at-home lockdown. Conclusions We conducted separate written and clinical synchronous (real-time simultaneous) tele-assessments. We used online assessment technology with students, examiners and simulated patients, all in different physical locations. Medical students’ examination performance showed a good range. This was comparable to other discipline stations, and performance in previous years. There was no differential performance of students through the day of the assessments.

Medical education in psychiatry and addiction medicine: pandemic education as usual or the new normal?

“… 1 During the pandemic, our Medical School successfully conducted and validated invigilated-online summative written (multiple choice and extended matching) and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) summative assessments for 100 students in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine in 2020, and 2021. 2 – 4 Students’ performance was comparable to face-to-face written and clinical assessments for prior years, and comparable for the 2020 and 2021 online assessments. 3 , 4 …”

“… 2 – 4 Students’ performance was comparable to face-to-face written and clinical assessments for prior years, and comparable for the 2020 and 2021 online assessments. 3 , 4 …”

“…1 During the pandemic, our Medical School successfully conducted and validated invigilated-online summative written (multiple choice and extended matching) and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) summative assessments for 100 students in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine in 2020, and 2021. [2][3][4] Students' performance was comparable to face-to-face written and clinical assessments for prior years, and comparable for the 2020 and 2021 online assessments. 3,4 Currently, there remain outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants (Delta, Omicron and BA.2) in Australia and specific public health measures for healthcare (masks, distancing).…”

“…We have planned that our OSCE summative assessments be entirely conducted synchronously online, as in 2021, during a local travel lockdown. 4 There are advantages of increased clinical examiner availability due to off-site participation (e.g., home or office), as well as increased flexibility to schedule alongside clinical duties, especially since staffing has contracted with COVID-19 furloughs and those exiting the professions. The main disadvantages include: connectivity issues, interruptions and background noise, which can be overcome by scheduling extra assessment time slots and backups for examiners and simulated patients.…”

“…The main disadvantages include: connectivity issues, interruptions and background noise, which can be overcome by scheduling extra assessment time slots and backups for examiners and simulated patients. 4 …”