The CSA

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The CSA
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Why Clinical Skills Assessment?

• Current MRCGP has no clinical skills component
  weakness?
• Triangulation with other testing methods
• Validated and reliable method for testing
  clinical skills
• Offers a standardised, pre-determined level of
  challenge to candidates
• Can vary this level of challenge as needed by the
  assessment requirements

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The purpose of the CSA

• An assessment of a doctors ability to integrate
  and apply appropriate clinical, professional,
  communication and practical skills in general
  practice

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What does the CSA test?

• An assessment of integrative skills, it tests a
  doctors ability to
• gather information
• apply appropriately, an understanding of disease
  processes and person-centred care
• make evidence-based decisions
• communicate effectively with patients and
  colleagues

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CSA and Simulated Surgery

• CSA differs from the Simulated Surgery
• It is not just a test of communication skills
• Assesses integrative clinical skills within a
  primary care setting
• Based on the nMRCGP blueprint
• Will be taken by many more candidates
• 3,000 - 4,000 per year

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How will CSA be delivered?

• Starts October 2007
• Dedicated assessment centre is planned
• Part of new College build
• Within next 3-5 years
• Temporary centre to be used initially
• Will take place for a number of weeks, several
  times a year
• Multiple circuits

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Test centre
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CSA Curriculum Blueprint
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Psychomotor skills
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(No Transcript)
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Format

• 13 cases lasting 10 minutes each, with 2 minutes
  in between
• One of these will not count as it is being
  trialled
• Doctor stays in same room and has some
  information about the next patient before he/she
  comes in
• Has been described as the surgery from hell
  certainly challenging and exhausting

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Marking

• Four possible grades for each question Clear
  Pass (CP), Marginal Pass (MP), Marginal Fail (MF)
  and Clear Fail (CF).
• Based on 3 domains
• Information gathering
• Clinical management
• Interpersonal skills
• These given a separate mark, then an overall mark
  given. Not clear as yet how the marks will be
  added up.
• It has been suggested that as many as 20
  candidates will not pass.

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Cost

• 1260 for College associates

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How to help ST3s prepare?

• Advise GPSTs to attend a College preparation
  course
• Trainers to set up a local formative OSCE-type
  exam as practice
• One trainer from each practice to become an
  Assessor? Assessors need to sit the MCQ and
  attend a Potential New Assessor day. It is
  expected that assessors will devote 10-12 days a
  year to assessing, and will also have to attend
  one or two conferences.
• Shared surgeries and direct observation
• Analysis of videoed consultations
• Watch the College video on the CSA