Demographics and performance of candidates in the examinations of the Australian Medical Council, 1978–2019

To the Editor: We are two international medical graduates who have been inducting, assessing and mentoring international medical graduates for many years. We found the article by Yeoman and colleagues1 very interesting and agree with their conclusions. However, one of the most important innovations by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) — the introduction of the workplace‐based assessment (WBA) program2 — was not mentioned. The current clinical examination by the AMC tests the clinical competency of the candidates. What is needed is an assessment of performance, as it is well known that many international medical graduates struggle in the workplace after passing the clinical examination.

The AMC introduced the WBA program and is now conducting this assessment in nine accredited sites after it was pioneered in Newcastle2 in 2010. These sites are accredited by the AMC and the program replaces the AMC examination. The WBA programs use various tools, including mini clinical assessments, case‐based discussions, multisource feedbacks, and directly observed procedural skills. All these tools are well validated. The assessment duration varies from 6 to 12 months. The variability in the blueprint of the assessments and the duration of the programs provide the opportunity to test their reliability. The results are reviewed by the AMC before candidates are awarded the AMC certificate.

The lessons learned from the WBA program can be and are being used in undergraduate and postgraduate settings. The AMC is to be congratulated for introducing this innovation in medical education and assessment.