Trainers' and trainees' perceptions of workplace-based assessment in orthodontics

To explore trainers' and trainees' perceptions and experiences of Workplace-Based Assessments (WBAs) in Orthodontic Speciality Registrar (StR) training in England.

Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

UK.

Orthodontic StRs who had started their training in 2011-2012 and their trainers.

Participants completed an anonymous on-line questionnaire in July-August 2013.Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and frequency distributions.

The questionnaire was completed by 42% (76/180) of trainers and 62% (46/74) of trainees. Half of the trainers spent 0.25 programmed activity (PA) per month undertaking WBAs. However, 88% of trainers had no PAs in their job plan for WBAs. The majority (53/66, 80%) of trainers undertook up to half of the WBAs in their SPAs. The trainers undertook a median of 5.5 (Interquartile range = 4) WBAs per trainee per year. Trainees spent an average of an hour per month undertaking WBAs. The mean number of completed WBAs per year was 12 (SD 4.2; 95%CI 10.7, 13.7) and mode was 10 WBAs. Almost all trainees, (33/34) had more than 80% of their WBAs undertaken by Consultants.

There was no statistically significant difference in trainers' and trainees' perception of the WBAs, and were accepted by both the trainers and trainees. Trainers and trainees spent about 1 hour per month undertaking WBAs. The majority of trainers undertook the WBAs in their SPA time. Trainees appeared to be undertaking the recommended number of WBAs.