2018 Consensus framework for good assessment

Abstract

Introduction: In 2010, the Ottawa Conference produced a set of consensus criteria for good assessment. These were well received and since then the working group monitored their use. As part of the 2010 report, it was recommended that consideration be given in the future to preparing similar criteria for systems of assessment. Recent developments in the field suggest that it would be timely to undertake that task and so the working group was reconvened, with changes in membership to reflect broad global representation.Methods: Consideration was given to whether the initially proposed criteria continued to be appropriate for single assessments and the group believed that they were. Consequently, we reiterate the criteria that apply to individual assessments and duplicate relevant portions of the 2010 report.Results and discussion: This paper also presents a new set of criteria that apply to systems of assessment and, recognizing the challenges of implementation, offers several issues for further consideration. Among these issues are the increasing diversity of candidates and programs, the importance of legal defensibility in high stakes assessments, globalization and the interest in portable recognition of medical training, and the interest among employers and patients in how medical education is delivered and how progression decisions are made.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John Norcini

John Norcini, PhD, FAIMER, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

M. Brownell Anderson

M. Brownell Anderson, National Board of Medical Examiners, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Valdes Bollela

Valdes Bollela, MD, PhD, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of Sao Paulo Brazil

Vanessa Burch

Vanessa Burch, MMed, PhD, FRCP, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Manuel João Costa

Manuel João Costa, MD, PhD, University of Minho, Portugal

Robbert Duvivier

Robbert Duvivier, MD, PhD, Maastricht University and Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, The Netherlands

Richard Hays

Richard Hays, MD, PhD, MBBS, University of Tasmania, Australia

Maria Felisa Palacios Mackay

Maria Felisa Palacios Mackay, MD, PhD, University of Calgary, Canada

Trudie Roberts

Trudie Roberts, MB, ChB, PhD, University of Leeds, UK

David Swanson

David Swanson, PhD, American Board of Medical Specialists, Chicago, Illinois, USA