| Subject: | Appointment and Training of Censors |
| Proposal Date: Approval Date: | January 2015 |
| Review Date: | Under Review |
| For approval of: | RACMA Board |
Introduction
Aligned with the Board’s direction (PACE) and strategic objectives, RACMA is responsible for the provision of training standards in relation to assessment of RACMA Candidates in the Fellowship Training Program.
The Board of Censors (BOC) is responsible for the examination of Candidates to certify whether they are of an appropriate and acceptable to the College standard to practice as a specialist in medical administration.
To maintain the integrity of the RACMA examination process, the College has developed the criteria for the appointment and training of Censors to the RACMA Board of Censors. The aim of the Policy is to document current practice and its appropriateness, and enhance the transparency and accountability of RACMA Censors in the assessment of RACMA Candidates for eligibility to Fellowship.
1. Appointment
Censors are involved in formative and summative assessment activities of the Fellowship Training Program. Formative and summative assessment activities include assessment of:
Censors will be recruited from within the body of experienced and eligible RACMA Fellows. They will meet the pre-requisites as defined by the position description for Censors and most particularly have the appropriate skills and knowledge of the requirements of the experienced medical administrator and of the College Curriculum.
Recommendation for the appointment of Censors to BOC may be made by the Censor in Chief, member of the Board of Censors and/or any other RACMA Faculty. The Board of Censors will endorse the selection for appointment to the ETC for noting. Appointment of Censors will be approved by the RACMA Board in accordance with the sections 14.5 and 14.6 under the RACMA Constitution.
Censors will be appointed to undertake each of the various forms of formative and summative assessment activities.
2. Censor Selection Criteria
2.1 Eligibility
To be eligible to be appointed by the RACMA Board, Fellows will formally apply to join the Board of Censors, through open advertisements/calls for expressions of interest via the College and meet the following criteria:
· RACMA Fellows, ordinarily of at least three years good standing with the College
· Current registration with AHPRA or NZ Medical Council
· Ordinarily be involved in active medical management or be less than 5 years post retirement from such roles with demonstrated relevant activities
· Experience in medical management roles in a variety of settings
· Understanding of indigenous, and rural and regional matters in a health environment
· Understanding of public and private health systems and non-hospital settings
· Familiarity with the content of the RACMA Curriculum and RACMA Assessment Framework
· Participate in appropriate CEP and professional development, as evident in the RACMA CEP compliance
· Fellows with exceptional qualifications and/or special skills/experience in post graduate medical education or assessment may be specifically invited to apply to join the Board of Censors
· Censors will have highly developed:
o interpersonal and communication skills;
o Analytical and assessment skills for written and presented work; and
o Negotiation skills in a collegiate environment
· Censors must satisfactory complete RACMA training program and assessment activities leading to accreditation and eligibility to examine
· Censors will be subject to peer review of performance and activity
Fellows will formally apply to join the Board of Censors, through open advertisements, usually via an expression of interest (EOI). Terms will be of three years, renewed by application. Censors may serve 3 terms of 3 years each with any further extensions agreed by the RACMA Board upon recommendation from the BOC. Following a break of at least two years Fellows may apply to BOC to be Censors for the College again.
Selection of Censors will be based on the above criteria and experience in health services management. The selection process has been developed to:
· enhance BOC membership skills;
· deliver quality curriculum content for the examination process; and
· develop suitable assessment framework for eligibility to Fellowship with RACMA.
2.2 Expression of Interest
The College will call for Expressions of Interest in line with an agreed timeline. Applicants will be provided with this document and asked to demonstrate compliance with the selection criteria. This will be in consultation with the Censor in Chief and the Board of Censors.
3. Governance and Accreditation
3.1 The RACMA Constitution (Clause 14.5 and 14.6) provides that Censors be appointed by the RACMA Board on the recommendation of the Censor in Chief.
3.2 The term of appointment of a Censor will be three (3) years. Censors may be appointed:
o For up to three(3) consecutive terms of 3 years each, as per participation requirements
o Any further extensions must be approved by the RACMA Board upon recommendation from the BOC .
o The Censor in Chief will make recommendations to BOC for endorsement to the RACMA Board regarding appointments of new Censors and extensions of the serving period of a Censor on BOC
o The BOC will review the eligibility and engagement of a Censor applying for an extension of term on BOC prior to making the recommendation to RACMA Board
3.3 Appointed Censors will be required to sign an agreement of responsibilities and complete the obligatory requirements e.g. annual training and Board of Censors review.
3.4 Renewal of a Censor’s accreditation will be after a three year term subject to:
o Required attendance at BOC meetings (at least one face to face or one via tele-conference annually)
o Completion of Censor training activities required to meet the assessment standards
o Active engagement in the specified range of assessment activities approved by the Censor in Chief, including participation in the College assessment program reviews and the College ‘Faculty Education and Training’ program.
3.5 All Censors will be required to declare conflict of interest and minimize bias by declaring if there is a direct/indirect association with Candidates or pairing Censor.
4. Training Requirements for Censors
The College recognises the need for training to enable appointed Censors meet the assessment standards required by the College Board.
Censors will be allowed to examine after demonstrating completion of the required training and having gained experience in formative and summative assessment activities, and after they observed examinations at the National Trials and/or Pre-Fellowship Examinations.
Censors may be appointed and/or nominated to summative assessment of the research-based work only subject to having appropriate expertise and/or training in assessment of research based activity.
4.1 New Censors
New censors will be expected to undertake the following induction steps:
· Initial induction and discussion with the Censor in Chief: expectations & responsibilities of the Censor and engagement with BOC (in accordance with the developed checklist)
· Satisfactory completion of the training program activities in the following areas:
o The RACMA Medical Leadership and Management Curriculum and RACMA Assessment framework
o Formative assessment as teaching and learning
o The education principles in constructing trainee feedback
o Programmatic assessment and progression
o Moderation and standard setting in assessment
o Peer review and assessment
o Contemporary issues in adult learning and assessment
· Completion of training discussions with the relevant Lead Censor responsible for:
o Research-based Case Study to discuss the guidelines and marking process of assessment tasks
o Written formative assessment tasks
o Assessment of Oral Presentation
o Pre-Fellowship Oral Examinations
· New Censors when applying to the College to become a Censor will demonstrate their currency and scope of practice in medical administration, their commitment to medical management and education, and participation in appropriate CPD activities
· An induction by the National Office on the timelines for marking, expectations and availability for assessment activities for the year
The above activities will be done through tele-conferences, webinars and/or face to face meetings where possible and via exchange of relevant material on assessment models. Reading material and resources will be provided to trainee censors.
4.2 Training Progression
New Censors wishing to become Examiners will undergo a progression training model. This process ordinarily takes up to 3 years but may be accelerated with approval of the Censor in Chief and subject to the level of examination and assessment experience of new Censors.
(a) New Censors will be trained by a selected group of Senior Censors in marking of:
· Formative assessment tasks such as:
o Letter to the Editor
o Ministerial Briefing
o Reflective Journals
o Management Case Study Proposals
o Other written tasks as nominated by the College as part of the FTP requirements
· Summative assessment tasks: Management Case Study Papers – note that Management Case study written requirements will be superseded with Research Training Program (RTP).
· Censors with specific expertise and background in the Research Health Services Evaluation will be selected for the assessment activity of the tasks (summative and formative) in the research Training Program. This will be also managed by the Research Training Program Committee.
· Censors will be required to participate in the annual Faculty Education and Professional Development Program(s) of the College. This may include specific CPD sessions, information sessions, RACMA Forums and faculty Workshops, training presentations via tele-conferences etc.
(b) Completion of censor training subject to the specific assessment expertise/interest new Censors wish to be engaged in. For example, training for the assessment of the Research-based assessment tasks, such as Oral Presentations, research proposal and research-based written papers, will be provided by the members of the Research Training Program Committee, led by the Chair of the committee and the Dean of Education..
New Censors in the RTP will be required to observe Oral presentations before assessing these as part of their roles.
(c) Meeting the eligibility to examine at the Pre Fellowship Oral Examinations
· Censors will be required to complete the induction and training requirements as per above, and complete the observations required in the National Trials and Oral Exams to receive the ‘hands on’ experience of exam scenario based cases at the examination stations
· New censors wishing to become Examination Censors are required to observe at least 4 exams (different questions and censor pairs) before completing the ‘observation’
· New Censors will begin examining by acting as alternate censors during the National Trials and Oral Exams once the ‘observation’ requirement is completed
· Upon satisfactory completion of all requirements Censors will be eligible to examine Candidates at the Trial Exams, Oral Exams and assess case study presentations at the Oral Presentations.
5. Panels of Assessors
For specific tasks the Board of Censors may appoint standing Panels of Assessors.
The Censor in Chief will appoint a Lead Assessor for each Panel of Assessors and work with them to:
· Ensure that the design of these Panels of Assessors will be based on specific skills and expertise amongst Censors on these Panels as required for the specific assessment activities
· Ask selected Censors to be part of specific Panels or Working Parties to address and deliver specific initiatives
· Ensure that all Censors on these panels should be prepared to do summative and formative assessment when/if required, and be involved in one of the above activities at least once per year
6. Related Documents
· Terms of Reference for the Board of Censors
· Censor Position Description
· College Handbook
· Assessment Guidelines for Case Study
· Rules for the Examination Day
· Regulation for Conduct of Exams
· RACMA Medical Leadership and Management Curriculum
· RCPA Selection of Examiners for the College and Panels of Examiners