As with all UK veterinary schools, the students sit a final year examination examining competences across species and disciplines consistent with the RCVS day one competences described earlier [ 1].
Benchmark: Understands the importance of regular examinations Language Arts Standard 1- Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
However, the profession lacks a set of formal qualifications, a proscribed course of post-graduate study and any formal licensing or required examinations for competence.
The clinical scenarios used in examinations of competence and performance frequently focus on complex problems, and fail to assess the protean tasks routinely required of the newly qualified doctor.
A possible reason is that the most important skills to be acquired by internists in their training include basic skills and knowledge: history taking, physical examination, interpersonal skills, competence in continuing care, competence in diagnosis, selection of appropriate diagnostic studies, skills in searching evidence, clinical reasoning skills, and problem-solving skills [ 11, 12].
As assessment has been shown to direct learning, it is critical that the examinations developed to test clinical competence in medical undergraduates are valid and reliable.
The clinical and motor competence examination took place at each school during school-time.
Faculty perceived that the concerns about time allocation per station and the degree of stress expressed by the students were due to inadequate preparation for the examination, particularly in competences not previously assessed in the 'traditional' examination.
Skill performance was assessed at Millers' level 3 (Show How) by an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), and perceived competence at Dreyfus' level 3 (Competence) using the retro-pre questionnaire.
Another issue resides in our objective competence test for testing Hypothesis 6 (written examination).
