Eligibility and How to Apply for Workplace based assessment

The Standard Pathway (WBA) provides a different method of assessment to the clinical examination component of the standard pathway.

The WBA program tests that you possess an adequate and appropriate set of clinical skills and the essential professional qualities to practise safely within the Australian healthcare environment and cultural setting.

Assessment of competence measures what you are capable of within controlled environments whereas performance assessment (such as WBA) measures what you actually do in practice.

Successful candidates are awarded the AMC Certificate, which enables you to apply for registration.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the WBA you must have:

1. passed the AMC CAT MCQ examination; and
2. been granted limited registration by the Medical Board of Australia. This registration enables you to be employed in an approved WBA clinical position.
3. hold an appointed position in a hospital or general practice position with a contract for the full duration of the program.

AMC accredited assessment programs

WBA programs must be accredited by the AMC through the Prevocational Standards Accreditation Committee.

Learn about how a health service can become a provider of an accredited program.

How you can apply for a WBA position

You will need to contact the AMC accredited WBA provider (either hospital or health service) and express interest in obtaining a position in the program. Once accepted by the WBA provider, the provider then nominates you through the AMC WBA portal. AMC WBA team staff check the portal for nominations and verifies your eligibility, i.e. check that you have passed the CAT MCQ and you are not enrolled in a clinical examination.  If you wish to accept a WBA program place you will need to withdraw from the clinical exam.

An automated email through the AMC system will be sent to you informing you if you are eligible and have been offered a WBA placement.

You will then receive a placement offer email for the WBA program and a link to make the payment, or you can decline the offer.

WBA process summary

Structure of the WBA program including assessment tools

A WBA program is a structured assessment program of 6-12 months duration during which your performance is assessed on the job using validated methods of assessment including direct observation and indirect methods that can be applied in the clinical setting.

You must work under supervision while completing the WBA program. The Medical Board of Australia requires all medical practitioners with limited registration to practise under supervision.

Your knowledge and performance is assessed regularly across the following clinical areas:

• Adult Health – Medicine
• Adult Health – Surgery
• Child Health
• Emergency Medicine
• Mental Health
• Women’s Health

The following domains are assessed for each area:

• clinical skills (history taking, physical examination, investigations and diagnosis, prescribing and management, counselling/patient education, clinical procedures)
• clinical judgment
• communication skills
• ability to work as an effective member of the healthcare team
• ability to apply aspects of public health relevant to clinical settings
• Indigenous health and cultural competence
• professionalism
• patient safety.

To meet AMC accreditation requirements, the WBA program must provide for the candidate to be:

• assessed by at least the three following assessment methods, and others as determined by the provider, to ensure all domains of performance are appropriately assessed:
  • Mini-clinical evaluation exercise (Mini-CEX)
  • Case-based discussion (CBD)
  • Multi-source feedback (MSF) and
• observed in the clinical setting over time, with multiple observations by multiple assessors.