Synthesis and perspectives from the Ottawa 2022 conference on the assessment of competence

Boursicot K 1 , Kemp S 2 , Norcini J 3 , Nadarajah VD 4 , Humphrey-Murto S 5 , Archer E 6 Show all authors , Williams J 7 , Pyörälä E 8 , Möller R 9

Affiliations 

  • 1 Health Professional Assessment Consultancy, Singapore, Singapore
  • 2 Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
  • 3 Department of Psychiatry, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
  • 4 Teaching and Learning, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 5 Core Research Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
  • 6 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
  • 7 Faculty Dean of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
  • 8 Center for University Teaching and Learning, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
  • 9 Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Med Teach, 2023 Sep;45(9):978-983.
PMID: 36786837 DOI: 10.1080/0142159X.2023.2174420

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The Ottawa Conference on the Assessment of Competence in Medicine and the Healthcare Professions was first convened in 1985 in Ottawa. Since then, what has become known as the Ottawa conference has been held in various locations around the world every 2 years. It has become an important conference for the community of assessment - including researchers, educators, administrators and leaders - to share contemporary knowledge and develop international standards for assessment in medical and health professions education.

METHODS: The Ottawa 2022 conference was held in Lyon, France, in conjunction with the AMEE 2022 conference. A diverse group of international assessment experts were invited to present a symposium at the AMEE conference to summarise key concepts from the Ottawa conference. This paper was developed from that symposium.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This paper summarises key themes and issues that emerged from the Ottawa 2022 conference. It highlights the importance of the consensus statements and discusses challenges for assessment such as issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion, shifts in emphasis to systems of assessment, implications of 'big data' and analytics, and challenges to ensure published research and practice are based on contemporary theories and concepts.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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