Following concerns raised by the General Medical Council (GMC) about postgraduate exam errors, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges recently published new guidance on ways royal colleges can strengthen quality assurance in their exams.
It follows work by college exam teams and the GMC to bring together best practice and shared learning from across specialties. It highlights approaches colleges have made to eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of errors in marking to assure candidates, the GMC and the public that the exams are fit for purpose.
Professor Pushpinder Mangat, the GMC’s Medical Director and Director of Education and Standards, said: "We welcome the publication of this report and the steps the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has taken. The GMC requested prompt action following concerns we raised about the integrity of postgraduate medical exams and marking errors, which had a detrimental impact on those doctors affected.
"It is vital all medical exams meet our standards, not only in the interest of doctors, but also to ensure those doctors have the right skills and training to deliver the high-quality care patients expect and deserve. This report makes several recommendations to ensure assessments are consistent and fit for purpose, which should be adopted as standard practice."