Update on the Assessment Innovation Task Force

As the pandemic took hold and affected assessments in 2020-2021, the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) initiated the Assessment Innovation Task Force (AITF), an independent group of highly qualified members, to take a critical look at how the assessment of physicians in Canada needs to evolve to uphold high-quality health-care standards and continue to ensure patient safety.

“We are extremely grateful to the members of the Task Force and the many contributors who took the time from their already busy schedules to reflect and provide feedback on the future of assessments,” said Dr. Bruce Wright, President of the MCC. “Their recommendations will inform the discussions on strategic direction for the MCC of our newly formed Council that will get underway in the coming weeks.”

Chaired by Dr. Kevin Eva, Associate Director and Senior Scientist in the Centre for Health Education Scholarship and Professor and Director of Education Research and Scholarship in the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the group was given a one-year mandate to:

• Review the evolving landscape of health-care delivery
• Identify new core physician competencies required with a focus on patient outcomes in light of the move to virtual and technology-enabled care
• Liaise with partner assessment organizations on appropriate assessment modalities and a collaborative approach to delivery
• Inform future strategic planning activities for the MCC Council

In the past 12 months, the members of the Task Force have assessed the current situation and critical issues through information gathering and consultations. After reviewing the MCC’s strategic plans and related documents, commissioning more than 60 white papers on specific topics, conducting focus groups and engaging in conversations to learn from trainees, key stakeholders, medical educators, and international authorities in medical licensing, they formulated their recommendations to the organization in a report that is now in the hands of the MCC Council.

We know the community continues to follow the outcome of the Council discussions with keen interest. We anticipate being able to share an update with our stakeholders in the spring.