2018 AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric Rehabilitation) Australia & New Zealand

Transcription

1 2018 AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric Rehabilitation) Australia & New Zealand Instructions to Candidates 2018 AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 1

2 Table of Contents 2018 Examination Details... 3 Key Dates... 3 Locations... 3 Fees... 3 The Application Process Eligibility Overseas Trained Physicians (OTPs) Examination Attempts Application Period Payment Application Confirmation Final Confirmation Withdrawal of Application Special Consideration Grounds for Special Consideration How to apply for Special Consideration... 7 Preparing for the Examination Format of the Examination Paper A Short Answer Question Paper Paper B Multiple-Choice Question Paper Sample Questions Paper B Suggested References for the Written Examination Examination Day Timetable On Examination Day Items to bring to the Examination Items not permitted in the Examination Area Seating Arrangements Completing the Examination Examination Procedure Paper A Short Answer Question Paper Examination Procedure Paper B Multiple Choice Question Paper Leaving the Examination Room After the Examination Marking Paper A SAQ Paper B MCQ Results Candidate Feedback Re-marking Next Steps Appendix A Summary of Possible Special Consideration Outcomes AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 2

3 2018 Examination Details Key Dates Examination Date Tuesday, 29 May 2018 Results Release ( ) Thursday, 12 July 2018 Applications Open Thursday, 1 March 2018 Applications Close Friday, 16 March 2018 (5pm AEDT) Pre-examination Special Consideration Requests Close: Provisions for examination day Post-examination Special Consideration Requests Close: Technical and procedural issues Friday, 16 March 2018 Sunday, 3 June 2018 Re-mark requests Thursday, 26 July 2018 Please note: In 2018, eligibility criteria and application deadlines will be strictly enforced. No late applications will be accepted. Locations The AFRM Paediatric Fellowship Written Examination is held once a year. The venues are at the discretion of the College but will usually be held in all Australian and New Zealand capital cities. The 2018 AFRM Paediatric Fellowship Written Examination will be held in the following locations: Australia Adelaide Brisbane Canberra Darwin Hobart New Zealand Auckland Christchurch Dunedin Melbourne Newcastle Perth Sydney Townsville Hamilton Wellington Fees Amount (AUD) Amount (NZD) AFRM Fellowship Written Examination Fee $ $ Re-mark (Paper B only) Application Fee $ $ For more information about paying your exam fees, please refer to the Terms and Conditions for RACP fees AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 3

4 The Application Process 1. Eligibility Trainees are eligible to apply for the 2018 AFRM Paediatric Fellowship Examinations (Written and Clinical) if they have submitted External Training Modules 4 and 6 before 1 April in the year they are intending to first sit for the Fellowship Written or Clinical Examinations. Trainees must be in their second year of Advanced Training in Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. Only registered trainees of the Faculty are eligible to sit for the Faculty examinations. A satisfactory standard must be reached for both Paper A (SAQ) and Paper B (MCQ) to be granted an overall pass in the Fellowship Written Examination. NOTE: A candidate must pass both the written component (Fellowship Written Examination) and clinical component (Fellowship Clinical Examination) of the AFRM Paediatric Fellowship Examinations to attain Fellowship in Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. Paediatric Fellowship Examinations can be taken in any order during the second or third year of Advanced Training with the Faculty. The Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) is not a barrier to attempting the Fellowship Clinical Examination (Paediatric). 1.1 Overseas Trained Physicians (OTPs) OTPs are required to check their eligibility requirements with their Overseas Trained Physicians Case Officer prior to applying for the Paediatric Fellowship Written Examination. Contact details are: otp@racp.edu.au. To be eligible to sit the Fellowship Written Examination, you must: be registered with the College by the due date; have a minimum of 12 months of certified full-time training in paediatric rehabilitation medicine; comply with the limit on the number of examination attempts and other requirements for progression through training, which are detailed in the Progression through Training Policy; and Program Requirements Handbook; be fully current with all College training fees. Trainees with outstanding training fees will not be eligible to sit the Fellowship Written Examination unless they have made an application in writing to the Honorary Treasurer requesting special consideration. 2. Examination Attempts Limits on the total training time allowed and the number of examination attempts are specified by the Progression through Training Policy. The revised policy has been implemented from 1 January Transition arrangements are in place which may be relevant to trainees sitting the Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) in AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 4

5 For more information please see the Progression through Training Policy found at: and published eligibility criteria and exam attempts as set out in the Program Requirements Handbook found at: All enquiries relating to Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) eligibility and examination attempts must be directed to the Rehabilitation Training Program. Phone: Australia MY RACP ( ) Overseas - (+61) Application Period The AFRM examination dates are advertised in the e-bulletin during the months of February and early March. Application forms for AFRM examinations are uploaded to the Exams page on the College website. Candidates are required to complete separate application forms for the Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) and the Fellowship Clinical Examination (Paediatric). The forms, together with any prescribed fee, must be lodged with the Faculty on or before the nominated closing date for applications. You can download and complete the application form online and submit it by to examinations@racp.edu.au or print the application form, complete and mail the form to Assessment and Selection Group, 145 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW Unfortunately, no late applications will be accepted. 4. Payment Once the applications are closed, you will receive an with a link to pay the examination fee and any outstanding fees due to the College. The fee must be paid at the time you receive the link. If you have outstanding training fees, you will not be eligible to sit the examination unless you have made an application in writing to the honorary Treasurer requesting special consideration. 5. Application Confirmation You will receive a confirmation and a receipt for payment. If you do not receive a confirmation then please contact examinations@racp.edu.au immediately. You should also make sure you have checked your junk/spam folders. The confirmation indicates only that your application and payment have been successfully received; it does not confirm that your registration for the examination has been finalised. 6. Final Confirmation Once your eligibility for the examination has been finalised you will be sent a Candidate Allocation Letter by . This letter will confirm your registration for the examination and will also provide details of your examination venue AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 5

6 7. Withdrawal of Application If you wish to withdraw from the Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) you must advise the College by Withdrawals are not counted as examination attempts. You may withdraw up until the commencement of the examination. Refunds of application fees will be provided according to the following rules: Date of Withdrawal Refund 1 March 16 March % of application fee 17 March 1 May % of application fee 2 May 2018 onwards No refund available To request a refund outside of these rules on medical or compassionate grounds you must submit an application under the Special Consideration for Assessments policy (see below). 8. Special Consideration Please note the following relating to examination results: Candidates are unable to request any of the following in relation to their examination mark or result: Appeals Reviews Reconsiderations Following the examination, Candidates may request only: Special Consideration due to technical or procedural issues encountered during the examination (see below). Your marks/results will not be altered. A re-mark of your paper (see Item 18). 8.1 Grounds for Special Consideration The College will take the following circumstances into consideration for the Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric): Circumstances occurring prior to the examination: permanent and longstanding impairment; temporary impairment medical grounds; non-medical compassionate grounds or serious disruption; essential commitments (religious, cultural, societal or legal obligations). Circumstances occurring after you have commenced the examination: technical or procedural issues encountered during the assessment. If a technical or procedural issue is encountered during the exam, the candidate must make the examiner aware immediately at the time of the issue AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 6

7 Specific possible outcomes are applicable to each of the circumstances above. Please see Appendix A: Summary of Possible Special Consideration Outcomes for details of outcomes, documentation required and timing of applications. The College will not adjust your examination mark or your examination result due to any of the circumstances above. 8.2 How to apply for Special Consideration 1. Read: the Special Consideration for Assessments Policy on the College website. 2. Confirm: your grounds for the request and the outcome you are requesting. 3. Collect: the appropriate supporting documentation for your category. 4. Submit: your request in writing to by the relevant due date (see Appendix A). Unfortunately, we are not able to accept late applications for special consideration requests AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 7

8 Preparing for the Examination 9. Format of the Examination The Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) includes two papers taken on the same day: Paper A Eight short answer questions (SAQ) (3.5 hours) Paper B 130 multiple-choice questions (MCQ) (3 hours). Paper A and Paper B are considered as separate assessment outcomes. A satisfactory standard must be reached for both Paper A and Paper B to be granted an overall pass in the Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric). The Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) examines the candidate s knowledge and competence in the assessment and management of disability, including any matters referred to in the Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Advanced Training Curriculum. Candidates must pass both the written component (Fellowship Written Examination Paediatric) and the clinical component (Fellowship Clinical Examination Paediatric) of the AFRM Fellowship Examinations to be awarded the Fellowship in Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. 9.1 Paper A Short Answer Question Paper The provision of written opinion is a basic skill for consultancy in Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. Paper A includes eight sets of questions requiring the candidate to offer short answers to queries posed in relation to a Rehabilitation Medicine scenario. Each question has sub-questions requiring short (dot point) answers. The questions are prepared and chosen by the Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Advanced Training Committee of the Faculty Education Committee to reflect current training and practice in Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. The questions posed may require the candidate to outline your approach to the management of this case ; discuss the implications of this form of treatment ; describe the contents of your report concerning this issue, etc. The formatting of the questions deliberately offers the candidate the opportunity to customise his or her knowledge into practical applications. The object of Paper A is to test the trainee s ability to: evaluate and assess complex problems of a clinical or administrative nature; communicate relevant information in clear composition or short answer dot point form within the limited time available; demonstrate an awareness of the judgment of priorities, and the importance of sensitive interdisciplinary planning and liaison; adopt an orderly, logical and mature approach to current areas of debate and controversy in disability management AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 8

9 9.2 Paper B Multiple-Choice Question Paper This paper consists of 130 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) that cover a range of subspecialties. All questions are in A-TYPE format (single-best alternative from four or five options). Candidates should choose only one option and then fill in the corresponding bubble on the answer sheet provided. 9.3 Sample Questions Paper B Sample Multiple-Choice Questions (and their answers) can be found on the RACP website here: FWE Sample Questions - Part B 9.4 Suggested References for the Written Examination Michael A. Alexander, Dennis Matthews. Pediatric Rehabilitation 5th Edition, Resources from the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ( See also the separate lists of suggested learning resources in the Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Advanced Training Curriculum AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 9

10 On Examination Day 10. Examination Day Timetable Paper A (SAQ) Morning session Candidates are advised to arrive at the allocated examination centre by 8.30 am. Time Task 8.15 to 8.30 am Candidates present to the Invigilator 8.40 am Pre-examination announcements 8.50 am Examination paper reading time 9.00 am pm Paper A (SAQ) Examination commences. Candidates may commence writing name, candidate number and examination city details on Question and Answer Booklets Announcement to candidates that there are 10 minutes remaining in the examination and that candidates cannot leave the examination room until pm pm Examination finish time; Question and Answer Booklets are collected Paper B (MCQ) Afternoon session Candidates are advised to arrive at their allocated examination centre by 1.15 pm. Time Task 1 pm to 1.15 pm Candidates present to the Invigilator 1.40 pm Pre-examination announcements 1.50 pm Examination paper reading time 2.00 pm 4.50 pm 5.00 pm Paper B (MCQ) Examination commences. Candidates may commence writing name, candidate number and examination city details on Answer Sheet and Question Booklet Announcement to candidates that there are 10 minutes remaining in the examination and that candidates cannot leave the examination room until 5.00 pm. Examination finish time; Question Booklets and Answer Sheets are collected 2018 AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 10

11 11. Items to bring to the Examination You are required to bring the following items to the AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric): 1. Candidate Allocation Letter showing your candidate name, number and examination location. This letter is sent in May and will also outline examination venue details. You cannot sit the examination without this letter. 2. Current photographic identification, which displays your full name and signature e.g. passport or photo driver s licence. 3. Two (2) blue or black pens (no gel, felt-tip pens or pencils are allowed). 4. One (1) ruler. 5. Mobile phones/pagers. All mobile phones/pagers/electronic communication devices are to be switched off and placed under your desk and be visible to the Invigilator at all times during the examination. Any candidates found with their mobile phone/pager/electronic communication device on their person during the examination will be automatically disqualified and immediately escorted out of the examination venue. Any phones or pagers that sound during the Examination will be subject to an incident report. Electronic watches are to be switched off and placed under your chair. The Candidate Allocation Letter is to be signed at the examination in the presence of an Invigilator to verify your eligibility to sit the examination. Your photographic identification will be required at this time and must remain on your desk during the examination with your Candidate Allocation Letter. The letter must remain on your desk during the lunch break. If you misplace your letter prior to the AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric), please contact the Assessment and Selection Group immediately to organise a replacement: examinations@racp.edu.au. 12. Items not permitted in the Examination Area The following are not permitted in the examination area: Written material (other than your Candidate Allocation Letter); Calculators/electronic devices (including smart watches and/or any communication devices); Food or beverages*; All other belongings e.g. bags. *Candidates are permitted to bring water in a clear plastic bottle into the examination room. No other food or beverage may be consumed during the examination. If a candidate requires food or drinks, other than water, during the examination for medical reasons, an application for a special consideration must be submitted. Food or drinks, other than water, that have not been approved prior to the examination will not be permitted in the examination room. Please see Item 8 for Special Consideration application procedures AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 11

12 13. Seating Arrangements The examination seating is allocated. Seating lists showing candidate names and seat numbers will be displayed near the entrance of the venue. You are not permitted to relocate or swap desks at any time during the examination. Any enquiries about seating on the examination day must be discussed with the Chief Invigilator. If you require specific seating arrangements during the examination for medical reasons an application for a special consideration must be submitted. 14. Completing the Examination 14.1 Examination Procedure Paper A Short Answer Question Paper You will be supplied with a question booklet where you must write your name, candidate number and examination city. The examination booklet will include the questions and you must write your answers in the space provided in the booklet. Should you require additional pages, please ask the examination supervisor. Please ensure the question number and your candidate number are on all papers. Ensure that your answers are legible. IMPORTANT EXAM TIPS It is preferable to use point form responses rather than whole sentences. Candidates must time their responses and answer all questions of the paper. It will be impossible to achieve a high standard by not completing all the questions. It is also imperative that the candidates answer the question that has been asked. There will be no points allocated to an excellent composition that does not answer the question. Organise your answer carefully, as marks may be allocated for evidence of an organised approach. Written communication is an essential every day skill of great importance to patient safety. Write clearly and legibly. No marks are available for answers that cannot be read Examination Procedure Paper B Multiple Choice Question Paper You will be provided with the following items: question booklet answer sheet On your question booklet and answer sheet you must write your name, candidate number and examination city. These details are on your Candidate Allocation Letter. You are not permitted to commence filling in your details until the examination has commenced and you are instructed to write by the Invigilator. Use only a black or blue ballpoint pen to mark the question booklet and answer sheet. Your answer sheet will be computer-marked. Please keep the answer sheet clean and neat when filling in the response bubbles to ensure that the marks for the examination are produced without delay AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 12

13 If you need to change an answer, put a cross through the incorrect answer and mark the correct answer. If you wish to reselect a previously crossed through response, circle the answer to mark the correct answer and ensure any incorrect answers are crossed through. Anything out of the ordinary will be manually reviewed. Please ensure your chosen response is obvious. See the example below of a generic answer sheet: Candidates are required to demonstrate satisfactory performance across all areas of the Written Examination Leaving the Examination Room You must not leave the examination room without the approval of an Invigilator. If you require a toilet break, the Invigilator will escort you to the appropriate facilities. If you wish to leave the examination room before the end of the examination, please remain seated and raise your hand to alert an Invigilator who will then check your materials and release you. When you have finished the examination, you may leave the examination room from half an hour before the end of the examination paper and you must ensure your question booklet and answer sheet are collected before leaving. You are not permitted to leave the examination room during the last 10 minutes of each examination paper. On completion of each paper, the question booklet and answer sheet must be surrendered. All content contained in these documents is considered confidential examination material and must not be removed from the examination room. You are not permitted to reproduce or distribute the contents of examination material at any time or in any way. Reproducing or distributing examination material is considered a breach of the College s Academic Integrity in Training Policy AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 13

14 After the Examination Any candidate in breach of these requirements will be excluded from the assessment. Please note the following relating to examination results: Candidates are unable to request any of the following in relation to their examination mark or result: 15. Marking 15.1 Paper A SAQ For each question, a pair of markers independently assesses candidate responses according to a predefined marking guide. From these marks, a consensus score is determined for each question. These consensus scores are summed to determine the final candidate score. The pass mark is determined by using a modified Angoff procedure. In this process, a group of content experts rate all questions to establish the expected level of difficulty for minimally competent candidates for each question. The pass mark is set as the average item scores across the average of all marker ratings Paper B MCQ The Multiple-Choice Question Paper consists of a total of 130 multiple-choice questions. A correct answer attracts one mark and an incorrect answer zero marks. There is no negative marking. The pass mark is determined by using a modified Angoff procedure. In this process, a group of content experts rate all questions to establish the expected level of difficulty for minimally competent candidates for each question. The pass mark is set as the average item scores across the average of all marker ratings. 16. Results Appeals Reviews Reconsiderations Following the examination, Candidates may request only: Special Consideration due to technical or procedural issues encountered during the examination (see Item 8). Your marks/results will not be altered. A re-mark of your paper (see Item 18) You will be notified of your examination outcome by a personalised . Please ensure that both your and postal address with the College are current. Results release: Thursday, 12 July 2018 Contacts*: To check or update your address MyRACP or memberservices@racp.edu.au If you have not received your results by 8 am Friday: o Have you checked your junk/spam ? o Are you using a computer with a firewall? o Still have issues? Request your notification to be re-sent: examinations@racp.edu.au By phone 1300 MY RACP ( ), (+61) *Please note that the Assessment and Selection Group is unable to discuss examination results with candidates over the phone or by AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 14

15 17. Candidate Feedback All candidates will receive a results letter by . For unsuccessful candidates of the SAQ Paper, the results letter will include broad feedback on their performance. Feedback is not available to unsuccessful candidates of the MCQ Paper. 18. Re-marking If you are unsuccessful in the Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) you may request a re-mark. The re-mark process for Paper A (SAQ) is for candidates who consider that their marks have been incorrectly tallied or counted. Candidates requesting a remark of Paper A will have their marks recounted only. The re-mark process for Paper B (MCQ) is for candidates who believe that there has been a computer error when reading their answer sheet. Therefore, the re-mark process only reviews the marking of the answer sheet. What a candidate indicates as their final answer to a question on their answer sheet is what is taken into account when marking the examination papers. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that they correctly indicate their answer on the answer sheet. You should be aware that no candidate s examination result has ever changed as a result of the remark process. The College advises those who are considering a re-mark to first discuss their performance with their Educational Supervisor. To request a re-mark, contact examinations@racp.edu.au. A fee of $ (AUD) applies to re-mark applications. Requests must be received by Thursday, 26 July No late applications will be accepted AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 15

16 19. Next Steps A satisfactory standard must be reached for both Paper A and Paper B to be granted an overall pass in the Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric). If a candidate is unsuccessful in either Paper A (SAQ) or Paper B (MCQ), they will not be required to sit both papers again at the next attempt but sit only for the unsuccessful paper in the following year. Please note that the fee, however, supports the Examination as a set, and no discount is offered if only one paper is being attempted by an individual candidate. Opportunities to sit the two papers of the Paediatric Fellowship Written Examination are offered annually, on the same day. Candidates must pass both the written component (Fellowship Written Examination Paediatric), the clinical component (Fellowship Clinical Examination Paediatric) and complete all requirements in order to gain Fellowship of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, Paediatrics (FAFRM). Trainees may take the Fellowship Written and Clinical Examinations (Paediatric) in any order. Both examinations should be attempted in the second or third year of Advanced Training. The Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) is not a barrier to attempting the Fellowship Clinical Examination (Paediatric). Refer to the Progression through Training Policy found at: and published eligibility criteria and exam attempts as set out in the Program Requirements Handbook found at: Please see the College website for important information on the AFRM Paediatric training program and important education policies: AFRM Training Handbook - Paediatrics Curricula Education policy 2018 AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatric) 29 May 16

17 Appendix A Summary of Possible Special Consideration Outcomes 2018 AFRM FWE (Paediatric) 29 May 17