ABSTRACT
Assessments based on direct observation in the clinical setting have been advocated by Cohen (2001). Without clear marking descriptors and consistent supervision this method of assessment is notoriously subjective and unreliable. However, the authenticity and feasibility of such an approach ensure that this is a useful assessment method. Observation of clinical skills can be on site or via video recording, which may allow closer critique in a less pressurized environment. The structured clinical operative test (SCOT) has been recently introduced (Mossey and Newton, 2001). A checklist similar to the OSCE is devised, which is transparent and accessible by both staff and students. It is used in the authentic clinical setting, for example, wards, clinics and operating theatres, and may have both a formative and summative role (Rennie and Crosby, 2002). Students in the first instance would be introduced in a supervised setting to the operative test with the checklist as a guide and then encouraged to use it for self-or peer assessment. When the student feels confident, a staff member may then assess the student summatively, although also giving formative feedback to the student.
