Assessment Strategy for 2021 Anaesthetics Curriculum

The RCoA believes it is important to provide feedback to candidates beyond a standard pass-fail result to help them understand and interpret their overall result. The RCoA does not attempt to justify the result given or the marks awarded, whether overall or for specific sections or skill domains. Marks are awarded using strict guidelines. The decision on marks awarded is final and therefore papers cannot be remarked.

Feedback is provided to candidates in the form of a ‘results transcript’ and the type of feedback will vary according to the examination component. However, the RCoA has ensured that feedback meets the AoRMC and GMC’s guidelines and is in line with other medical colleges.

All candidates, whether pass or fail, receive the same type of feedback. This is because the RCoA believes that the provision of numerical information about a candidate’s examination performance not only helps with improving a candidate’s performance at future examinations but also provides important information for furthering continuing professional development.

The following feedback is provided in examination results transcripts:

• confirmation of the candidate’s pass-fail outcome
• the candidate’s overall score as a raw score and/or as a percentage
• the examination pass mark as a raw score in relation to the maximum achievable test score (e.g. 315/420) and/or the percentage value (e.g. 75%)
• candidates who sit the Primary and Final FRCA SBA examinations receive a full breakdown of question performance against the areas of the curriculum/syllabus tested in the examination
• candidates who sit the OSCE are given a breakdown of the score they achieved in each station
• candidates who sit the SOEs are given their score for each section and may request the examiner comments on their performance.