Why use WBAs as they are so time consuming?
This is acknowledged but needs to be put into context. The assessment of clinical competencies will be time consuming and in the main, during year 1 of OST. Trainers who are used to getting trainees with 1-2 years experience will need to get used to less experienced trainees e.g. teach the use of the slit lamp etc. There is the time required to complete the clinical rating scales (CRS) and give feedback but this is small compared to watching someone examine etc. The College hopes that trainees are already observed when they are starting practical procedures and operations so the only extra time required is the completion of the form and the feedback. Case based discussion (CbD) has time implications but the expectation is that each trainee discusses a couple of cases with a trainer once a month. It would be a poor training unit in which this did not happen already. Bear in mind that the vast majority of the practical assessment which was previously conducted in the old MRCOphth Part 2
