About Otago MB ChB assessment
OMS understands medical students to be responsible, motivated adults who actively participate in directing and assessing their own learning progress, guided by staff, fellow students, patients and others.
The principles that underpin the assessment programme in the Otago MB ChB comply with those of the University of Otago and have been adapted to meet the needs of a medical programme which has responsibiliies to the medical profession and to the public of New Zealand.
This page of the MB ChB website provides information on assessment in the Otago MB ChB course of particular interest to module conveners.
Main purposes of assessment for the Otago MB ChB
There are three main purposes of assessment in the Otago MB ChB course:
- Ensuring that individual students are satisfactory to progress – ensuring that students during the course are performing above satisfactory standards to progress, and that students at the completion of the course have the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes/behaviours that lead to safe, fit-for-purpose practice
- Guiding student learning – enabling students to understand their progress relative to defined standards, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, evaluating their self-assessment, directing and motivating their future learning, identifying areas they might see as potential for improvement and achieving personal excellence
- Evaluating the course – assessment results are used as part of the quality improvement process of the medical degree.
Managing assessment
Assessment policy, procedure and processes are managed centrally through the Otago Medical School, with module assessments developed and delivered locally through the campuses.
- At the module level, module conveners are the principal conduit for assessment and the first contact for staff who wish to clarify their role in ALM assessments
- End-of-year exams, which are the same for all students, are managed by OSCE and Written Exam sub-committees
- The decisions on student progress are made by the relevant Board of Censors.
Assessment resources
Policies and procedures
The MB ChB Assessment Policies and Procedures document (APP), updated annually, is the overarching resource for information on all aspects of assessment for the programme.
Staff involved with assessing students should be familiar with the APP and other relevant policies.
- MB ChB Assessment Policies and Procedures (PDF) – 14 January 2025
- Assessment policy documents (page includes link to University of Otago regulations)
Staff support documents
OMS has developed guidelines to help staff develop their expertise in key areas of assessment, including providing feedback and setting questions.
Contacts
Dr Lynette Murdoch
MB ChB Assessment Convener
Email lynette.murdoch@otago.ac.nz
Dr Paul Chin
ALM MCQ Convener
Email paul.chin@otago.ac.nz
Athena Macmillan
Administrator, MB ChB Assessment
Email mbchb-assessment@otago.ac.nz
Rachel Lissaman
Assessment Convener for ELM2
Email rachel.lissaman@otago.ac.nz
Dr Annika Bokor
Assessment Convener for ELM3
Email annika.bokor@otago.ac.nz
Anne-Marie Patterson
Administrator, ELM Assessment
Email anne-marie.patterson@otago.ac.nz
Feedback on meritorious or concerning behaviours in medical students
The Otago Medical School values information on our medical students. Staff involved in medical education should contact the module convener to provide feedback on students; patients, families, whanau and members of the public, hospital staff, and university staff and students who are not directly involved in student education but wish to raise an issue of concerning or meritorious actions observed in our medical students can complete one of the Professional Behaviour reporting forms and forward as instructed.