Developing consortia for clinical practice examinations: The Macy project

Abstract

A series of workshops demonstrating a model for assessing the clinical performance of medical students with standardized patients (SPs) was conducted between 1989 and 1991, with deans or senior faculty from more than 90 North American medical schools in attendance. Although 80% of these schools subsequently expressed interest in implementing similar programs, the cost in faculty time and resources was an issue of concern. To facilitate the best use of the limited resources available, and with the financial assistance of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, six consortia of schools were established for this purpose: North Carolina, Gulf Coast, Northwest, Southern California, Metropolitan New York, and Upstate New York. Although all consortia share similarities, each has its own vision, purpose, and operational methods. This article describes the consortia generically and in their individual variations.