Descriptive analysis of junior doctor assessment in the first postgraduate year

Introduction: Preparing graduates for the role of the junior doctor is the aim of all medical schools. There has been limited published description of junior doctor performance in the workplace within Australia. Methods: This cohort study describes junior doctors' performance in the first postgraduate year, the influence of gender, rotation type and amount of experience and explores the feedback process used for junior doctors across a two year period. Results: Participants obtained lower scores for performing procedures, managing emergencies and adverse event identification and highest scores for interpersonal skills, teamwork, written communication and professional behavior. There were no observed effects of the amount of experience but, were effects of the discipline in which the rotation occurred. Five juniors doctors, two female and three male, were classified as having overall borderline performance, 2.5% of the respondents. These findings were supported by content analysis of the written feedback. While feedback was documented in 94% of occasions, this was not given to the junior doctor 25% of the time. Conclusions: The findings in this study support the claim that the tools and processes being used to monitor and assess junior doctor performance could be better. The Australian medical board appears to be looking for an assessment process that will both discriminate the poorly performing doctor and provide educational guidance for the training organization. These two intents of the assessment may be in opposition to each other.