Workplace-based assessment in a primary-care setting

Workplace-based assessment (WBA) is the process of directly observing students' work within a clinical setting, assessing their performance, and providing specific, goal oriented feedback. Assessment methods used for workplace-based assessment include tools developed for clinical interaction (e.g., the mini clinical evaluation exercise [mini-CEX]), for procedural or technical skills (e.g., the direct observation of procedural skills [DOPS]), and multi-source feedback tools to assess interpersonal and technical skills. While several of these assessment methods are being adopted by veterinary schools to evaluate students' progress through their clinical rotations, there is little reported at this time about their utility and effectiveness within the veterinary context. This article provides an introduction to the use of these tools and offers guidance in selecting appropriate methods for assessment in the primary health care setting.