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Understanding the Experiences of Designated Assessors: an Interpretive Phenomenological Study.
Elizabeth B Bradley1, Cayla R Teal2, Andrew S Parsons3
1Department of Medical Education, University of Virginia School of Medicine, PO Box 800866, Charlottesville, 22908 VA USA.
Medical Science Educator
|July 13, 2026
Summary
Designated Assessors (DAs) in medical education find value in their dual role of providing feedback and making competency decisions. Their experiences highlight the importance of community and the impact of assessment data on learners.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Assessment in Healthcare
- Faculty Development
Background:
- Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are increasingly used in medical education for assessment.
- Concerns exist regarding EPA implementation and assessment validity.
- Designated Assessors (DAs) play a crucial role in providing feedback and making summative competency decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experiences of faculty serving as Designated Assessors (DAs).
- To understand the beliefs and practices of DAs in their dual role as formative and summative assessors.
- To describe the faculty experience within a program of assessment using EPAs.
Main Methods:
- An interpretivist phenomenological approach was used to explore DA experiences.
- Interviews were conducted with eligible DAs at a single institution.
- Content analysis of transcribed interviews yielded key themes.
Main Results:
- Three central themes emerged: role enactment, community meaning-making, and identification of struggling learners.
- DAs described their processes, shared experiences, and the meaning derived from their roles.
- Participants valued the assessor community, the consequential nature of assessments, and the quality of assessment data.
Conclusions:
- DAs derive significant meaning from their roles in medical education assessment.
- The development of a unique assessor community is a key aspect of the DA experience.
- High-quality assessment data generated by DAs is perceived as valuable for learners and stakeholders.
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