Assessment

Assessment and Support

Knowledge and competency assessment is done through the Faculty of Public Health examinations and by regular assessment by the Oxford Deanery, via annual review of progress.

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Below is a brief summary of assessment and exams as related to the Oxford Deanery.

Assessment

Each year there is a formal annual assessment to monitor progress of public health trainees. Those currently in training will know this review as the Record of In Training Assessment or RITA. For those who enter training under the new PMETB-approved curriculum (since August 2007), this is known as the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP).

Assessment of progress through training is carried out by a panel which reviews the trainee's submitted written evidence for this progress.

'Progress' means the continued acquisition of public health competencies throughout training. Evidence for this is demonstrated by passing the Faculty of Public Health exams and successful in-work assessments of competencies.

Within the Oxford Deanery all public health trainees meet with the review panel to explore current progress and future training needs - assuming satisfactory progress, the panel will admit a trainee to the next year of training.

The RITA/ARCP process also allows a more formal approach to objective setting and exploration of career plans, to enable planning for appropriate training and placements. In addition, the process also allows more specific and targeted support to be provided to trainees experiencing difficulties, should this be identified.

The RITA/ARCP panel determines whether a trainee has completed training satisfactorily. If a trainee completes training satisfactorily, then the panel makes a recommendation to the Faculty of Public Health for the issue of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT).

This is then referred onwards to the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) or the UK Voluntary Register for Public Health. Medical trainees will then be able to register with the General Medical Council as specialists, while other graduate trainees will be able to register with the UK Public Health Register.

At this point all are eligible for consultant or equivilent posts within the NHS.

RITA/ARCP panel members

Membership of the annual assessment panel includes (but not limited to):

Faculty Adviser (chair),
Programme Director,
Health Protection Consultant,
Academic,
Training and Development Officer
External assessor.

Exams

All public health trainees are expected to obtain Membership of the Faculty of Public Health, via examination. Membership of the Faculty of Public Health consists of the PartA exam and the PartB exam.

The Part A exam is a written exam designed to test knowledge and understanding of the scientific bases of public health and the ability to apply knowledge and skills to the practice of public health.

The PartB exam, or Objective Structured Public Health Examination (OSPHE), is an oral scenario-based exam designed to allow a candidate to demonstrate their ability to apply relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes to the practice of public health. In addition, theoretical and practical aspects of public health practice need to be demonstrated in order to be successful.

In the Oxford Deanery trainees are required to sit the Faculty of Public Health’s Part A membership exam between one and two years after starting the programme, and the Part B exam six to nine months later.

The Oxford Deanery, through the Training Programme Director, provides extensive support to enable trainees to confidently prepare for exams. Examples of support include: academic support through undertaking a Master's degree where appropriate; support to attend national courses to prepare for PartA and PartB exams; dedicated examination tutorials on specific subject areas; master-classes in exam preparation and technique; and full mock exams.

In addition, the Oxford public health trainees are a close network and support each other during exam preparation.

Finally, within the Oxford Deanery many of the Consultants in Public Health and Consultants in Communicable Disease Control support exam preparation through mentoring and participating in mock examination sessions.