Ottawa 2020 consensus statements for programmatic assessment - 2. Implementation and practice

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Assessment in Medical Education

Background:

• Programmatic assessment is a developmental, longitudinal approach to assessment.
• Its implementation is crucial for translating theory into practice but presents challenges.
• This study addresses the implementation of programmatic assessment principles as part of the Ottawa 2020 consensus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of the 12 principles of programmatic assessment.
• To identify enablers and barriers to programmatic assessment implementation across diverse contexts.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted with 15 Health Profession Education programs in six countries.
• Responses were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Implementations showed variation while adhering to core principles.
• Key enablers included strong leadership, faculty development, clear student expectations, curriculum renewal, and organizational commitment.
• Barriers often stemmed from the need for a cultural paradigm shift in assessment.

Conclusions:

• Understanding implementation variations, enablers, and barriers provides insights into strategic and operational considerations.
• Further research is needed to explore the impact of contextual and cultural factors on programmatic assessment implementation.