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Table 4 Examples of formative assessment methods

From: Key tips for teaching in the clinical setting

Name

Description

Direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS)

Usually a checklist approach to measuring procedural skills

Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX)

A focused component of a clinical encounter (eg. a targeted history, or a focused physical examination, or a communication skill).

Case-based Discussion (CbD)

A trainee discusses a case with a supervisor, the case notes may also provide triggers to guide discussion.

Formative (practise) long case clinical examination

Learner will see a patient and then afterwards discuss the patient’s condition and management in depth with the examiners.

Formative (practise) Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

Designed for rating clinical skill performance and competence. eg. communication, physical examination, procedural skills.

Multi-source feedback (MSF)

Designed for rating professional behaviour. Ratings may come from peers, supervisors, patients. They include the benefit of aggregating multiple perspectives of performance.