Assessment of medical students’ learning outcomes in Australia: current practice, future possibilities

Programs such as the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration will allow nationwide comparisons between medical schools

The outcomes of medical education in Australia are generally regarded as being very good, and our accreditation standards are also generally recognised as being of world standard. Although individual cases of medical malpractice typically make headline news,1 there is no evidence of widespread or systemic failure of medical training. Indeed, the limited reports of intern performance that do exist suggest that most interns perform at or above a standard that is expected by their supervisors.2,3 However, there is other evidence that some graduates perceive themselves to be underprepared.4