Examinations Update, Professor Michael Griffin
As Committee Chair, I am pleased to provide an update for this issue of the Examinations Newsletter
The Exams department continues to be busy, working in the main, remotely. Our Committee continues to meet every two months, next meeting being on Friday June 11. Online delivery of all our exams will continue, likely until Autumn 2022. All of the staff in the Exams department, all examiners and leads deserve huge credit for meeting this challenge in so many different ways throughout 2020, and one not achieved in many other countries.
This has facilitated progression of our trainees and as well as continuing to work on improving the quality and reliability of our examinations. Work on Project EthER continues with ongoing improvements to our software Practique. Dr Michael Griffin, Dr Deirdre McCoy and Dr Margaret Doherty contributed to standard setting and marking for scripts for first CANECSA examination in January and February.
"All of the staff in the Exams department, all examiners and leads deserve huge credit for meeting this challenge in so many different ways throughout 2020, and one not achieved in many other countries"
Dr Anne Hennessy accepting the fruit basket as a small token of the College’s appreciation on behalf of the Department at Beaumont Hospital.
Examiner Participation 2020
We would like to acknowledge the exceptional examiner support by Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda Hospital and Beaumont Hospital departments who had the most consultant examiner participation in 2020.
Both hospitals have provided support to the College in its examinations process over the last number of years and for this we are most appreciative. Without the hospital departments’ support, we could not successfully deliver the examinations.
Examiner Survey 2021
Our Examiner survey, circulated in January, had 97 respondents. This will allow us to appoint examiners fairly and transparently to lead roles as they arise, plan examiner moves between exams to ensure adequate numbers, as well as plan for retirements.
Our new leads, appointed this year, are Dr Peter Hooker (MCAI MTF), Dr Adriana Nizam (MCAI Physiology), Dr Fergus Walsh (Final Major case), Dr Donal Ryan (JFICIM), Dr David Moore and Dr Hari Gopal (FFPMCAI). A welcome to new examiners – Dr Lindi Snyman and Dr John Fitzgerald as MCAI Examiners.
A sincere thank you to our retirees this year, Dr Helen Downey, Dr Declan Grace, Dr Paula Connolly and Dr Ram Singh all of whom have given many years of service to our examinations.
We are currently reviewing our exam regulations with a view to having up to date and transparent documentation available to candidates, particularly relevant to the current online nature of the examinations and provisions for disability. In addition, as part of the regulation review, the required clinical experience for the Final Examination is currently being discussed with the Training Directorate, the Training Committee and the Trinee group.
Best wishes,
Michael