Procedures

Planning

At the start of the academic year the Examination Board/Sub-Board Chairs and Faculty Education Office (FEO) set the draft examination timetable for the year. This ensures all examination requirements for the academic year are agreed by all parties in advance.

The draft examination timetable is considered by the Education Sub-Committees, who are responsible for assessment policy, through to the Education Committee, Medical Studies Committee and are ratified by Senate. Once ratified these are published on the Undergraduate Medicine Teaching Intranet (password protected).

The Examination Sub-Boards set all examinations, agree on the method and format of assessment, design papers and Observed Structured Clinical Examination stations, and produce model answers and marking schemes. They are required to nominate internal and external Visiting Examiners to Medical Studies Committee to become members of the Examination Sub-Boards.

Special Examination Requirements

The College Registry regulates the provision of special examination arrangements for students who have disabilities or temporary special needs. Registry informs the FEO of any arrangements that need to be put in place to enable these students to sit their examinations. Students are reminded to provide special arrangements requests at least two weeks prior to each examination. The College has a dedicated disability officer who provides advice to students and the FEO on these issues.

In order to discourage fraudulent activities during examinations the Faculty Education Office have instigated invigilated examinations and ID card checks at all examinations.

Processing Examinations

Examiners double or group mark all scripts and return the marks to the FEO. The FEO enters marks into a spreadsheet and calculates results based on subject weightings and requirements. Scripts, marks and spreadsheets are presented to examiners, (including external) to finalise and approve results.

Clear and consistent marking is ensured through the use of double marking, group marking, distributing guidance procedures, use of external examiner review, Examination Sub-Board moderation, use of detailed marking schemes and extensive use of objective testing.