Workplace-based assessments

For case-based discussions (CBD), you’ll be asked to select a recent clinical case to present to the assessor, including providing clinical notes, relevant investigations or results, and details of referrals or preventive healthcare plans. You’ll present cases that you’ve been primarily responsible for and that represent a medium level of complexity, where clinical reasoning may be complicated by uncertainty and/or where decision-making requires consideration of multiple issues.

You might highlight aspects of the case for discussion, depending on your self-identified learning needs. Sometimes an assessor may request a case with a specific area of focus, particularly if it’s been identified that you need support in that area.

In random case analysis (RCA), the assessor will randomly select a case from your consultation records to discuss. They’ll ask you to think about the case from different perspectives and discuss these through the lens of the RACGP Curriculum and syllabus, in particular, the five domains of general practice. The development of your clinical reasoning will be explored by considering how a case changes when one of four contextual influences changes – the doctor, the patient, the problem and the system.

RCA is helpful to ensure you explore cases you may not usually see in your day-to-day practice.
 

A mini–CEX is an assessment that involves observation of you performing a consultation. This style of assessment can either focus on a particular competency area, such as professionalism, or specific clinical skills; it may be managed as a general observation. Once completed, your assessor can immediately discuss the consultation with you, providing feedback and ideas for further development, if necessary.

The Direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS) assesses the candidate’s ability to safely and appropriately carry out procedures. You will need to complete DOPS for highlighted procedures.