In late 2018, GPEx was awarded a special Education Research Grant by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) to design a Workplace-based Assessment (WBA) Framework for use within Australian General Practice Training (AGPT). This Framework was completed in collaboration with, Flinders University, EVGPT, GP Synergy, GPTQ, GPTT, MCCC, NTGPE, RVTS and WAGPET.

To inform Framework development the following project streams were completed:

  • A literature review;
  • An environmental scan;
  • An audit of WBAs used within Australian Regional Training Organisations (RTOs) and the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS);
  • A series of mixed-method research projects focussing on:
    • The use of consultation observation as an educational and assessment tool
    • The acceptability of WBAs in AGPT for registrars, supervisors and medical educators
    • Evaluating the use of Entrustable Professional Activities
    • Exploring WBAs as a predictor for RACGP exam performance.

The findings from each of these streams were used to inform the development of an evidence-based, practical and contextualised WBA Framework, which has now been delivered to the RACGP.

The four essential elements that together make up the Framework are: WBA tools, the assessor, the trainee and the context. The Framework provides information that can inform the local planning, delivery and review of effective and efficient workplace-based assessment systems. GPEx are reviewing the WBA Framework developed against our current practices to identify any opportunities for improvement.

GPEx would like to thank ModMed for their authorship of the Entrustable Professional Activities research report, which formed a part of this project. We would also like to thank our Project Steering Group for their input into project planning, implementation and Framework design. A special thanks to all of the registrars, supervisors, medical educators and RTO staff who participated in the research. Without your contributions, this result would not have been possible.