In-training assessments: 'The difficulty is trying to balance reality and really tell the truth'.

BACKGROUND: In-training assessments (ITA) aim to evaluate trainees' progress and give valuable feedback on their performance. Many factors can affect supervisors during their completion of assessments and these can influence the final results recorded. METHODS: This is the second part of a study of supervisors of the Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD) and presents the qualitative data on their opinions of the ACD ITA process and the influences on their ITA ratings. RESULTS: Supervisors noted the benefits of this assessment tool, together with many limitations. Potential influences upon supervisor ratings included the relationship between the supervisor and trainee and the level of honesty in completing and delivery of the assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors influence supervisors in the completion of the ITA. These include the impact of interpersonal relationships and concerns about the consequences of delivering a negative assessment, which sometimes lead supervisors to modify the assessment they deliver to the trainee. Further research is needed into honesty in assessment judgements.

Supervisor perspectives on the summative in-training assessment.

BACKGROUND: Assessment is a fundamental component of medical education and exists in many formats. In-training assessments are one such example and they serve to provide feedback to learners about their performance during a period of clinical attachment. However, in addition to trainee knowledge and performance, many factors influence the assessment given to a trainee. METHOD: This study used an anonymous survey to investigate the perceptions of supervisors of the influences on their assessments of Australian dermatology trainees, focusing on the summative in-training assessment (SITA) format. RESULTS: A response rate of 41% was achieved. The importance of reporting underperformance and providing feedback to trainees was agreed on, but current limitations in the ability of the tool to do this were noted. Implications for practice are discussed including the education and support of supervisors, consideration of logistical issues, the process of SITA completion and supervisor appointment. Further research into the impact of supervisor concerns about potential challenges to a judgement and hesitations about making negative comments about a trainee are required. Examination of the trainee perspective is also required. CONCLUSION: Quality feedback is essential for learners to guide and improve their performance. Supervisors face many potential influences on their assessments and if these are too great, they may jeopardise the quality of the assessment given. Attention to highlighted areas may serve to improve the process, so allowing trainees to develop into the best clinicians they can be.

Impact on the dermatology educational experience of medical students with the introduction of online teaching support modules to help address the reduction in clinical teaching.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: With increasing medical student numbers and decreasing clinical teaching opportunities, there has been a need to develop alternative learning resources. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a new dermatology online teaching resource, from a student perspective. METHODS: The Australasian College of Dermatologists developed an undergraduate dermatology curriculum and subsequently created online teaching modules in partnership with the University of Sydney. These modules were introduced to final year medical students at the University of Western Australia in 2010. The dermatology learning experiences of these 142 students were compared with the 2009 medical student cohort who did not have access to this resource. A self-administered questionnaire, with a 5-point rating scale, was used. RESULTS: The 2010 cohort described an improved educational experience using the online modules. Despite a reduction in the number of clinics attended, knowledge and skills gained were scored higher among the 2010 cohort. The student's confidence in their ability to manage common dermatological conditions was also statistically higher in the cohort with the online teaching resource. The learning experience for dermatology compared to other subspecialty teaching in medical school was ranked as a significantly more positive experience in the 2010 cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the introduction of the online modules described in this paper to support learning have improved the perceived educational experience of medical students and should be incorporated as a way to improve student teaching in the face of reduced clinic teaching.