A 12-month pilot was carried out on assessments for learning
and assessments of learning as part of workplace-based
assessments in postgraduate medical education. This was
carried out in three regions and core medical trainees and
higher specialty medical trainees participated. Focus groups
and questionnaires were utilised to investigate the trainees’
and trainers’ experiences and perceptions of assessments
for learning. The study demonstrated that the trainees and
trainers perceived the newly introduced assessments for
learning – supervised learning events (SLEs) – as learning
tools. However, SLEs were often undertaken with no previous
organisation and with no direct observation, regardless
of the underlying purposes and methods of the WPBAs.
There was a lack of, or delayed or non-specifi c, feedback
following SLEs, which would have impeded its educational
value. Trainee and trainer disengagement was one of the
contributing factors. These fi ndings are valuable in informing
and facilitating future successful implementation of
assessments for learning