Apothercary 2016

Registrar’s Report
Mrs Jennifer Maclean
2015-16 has
been another
busy year in the
Examinations
Department.
Twelve examination
diets
were held: four
Medical Care of
Catastrophes,
i n c l u d i n g
two staged in
the Netherlands
to fulfil the contract
with the
Dutch Ministry
of Defence, two
each of Genit
o u r i n a r y
Medicine and HIV Medicine, and one each of Medical
Jurisprudence (Pathology), History of Medicine,
Philosophy of Medicine and Forensic Medical Sciences.
Apart from the DMJ (Path), the London-based
examinations, written and practical, are held in the Great
Hall; the photograph shows the Hall when set up for an
objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).
There were 205 candidates over the seven diplomas,
resulting in 175 diplomates. The weather held on the day
of the annual Diploma Ceremony, and some 170
diplomates and their guests enjoyed the Society's
hospitality, mingling with members of the Court and
taking tea in the courtyard. Some had travelled from the
Netherlands while others came from as far afield as
Malaysia.
An important part of the Society's quality assurance
procedures involves assessing the psychometrics of the
examinations. This is achieved via the good offices of Dr
John Patterson, Liveryman and Honorary Senior Lecturer,
Centre for Medical Education, Barts and the London
School of Medicine and Dentistry, who provides reports
on the examinations and attends examination committee
meetings to explain the outcomes to the examiners.
The GMC’s “Standards for Curricula and Assessment
Systems” requires, inter alia, that those who examine are
trained and regularly updated in the appropriate
assessment techniques. Although not all of the Society's
examinations are accountable to the GMC, the
Examinations Board observes the standards as best
practice. Thus, every year to 15 months we stage a
training day for newly-appointed examiners, attendance
at which is compulsory before they are permitted to assess
in a practical examination. The day provides an
opportunity for examiners to learn of the theory of
assessment and to take part in discussions and mock
assessments. Refresher training focuses on the theory and
practice of standard setting and blueprinting, as the
rationale behind those aspects of examination preparation
tends to fall into place more readily once examiners have
been actively involved with their examination committee.
CPD credits are sought from the RCP on each occasion.
A large number of people each play their part towards
the whole examination effort, and I am grateful to them
all, not only for their efforts but also for helping to make
my role so enjoyable. The three groups are: the
Examinations Board, which oversees the Department in
its entirety, and whose advice and broad range of
expertise is so valuable; the Society's 150+ examiners, and
particularly the conveners, deputies and panel chairs,
who voluntarily contribute vast amounts of their "spare"
time to set, support and assess their respective
examinations; and last, but by no means least, my
assistants Maria Green and Rita Pulga, who decided to
return home to Italy after 10 years in London and who
was succeeded by Smita Shah. The dedication, patience
and good humour of all these contributors are an asset to
the Department and to the Society.
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