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Assessments and examinations candidate handbook
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook
Disclaimer
The information set out in this publication is current at the date of first publication and is intended for use as a guide of a general nature only and may or may not be relevant to particular patients or circumstances. Nor is this publication exhaustive of the subject matter. Persons implementing any recommendations contained in this publication must exercise their own independent skill or judgement or seek appropriate professional advice relevant to their own particular circumstances when so doing. Compliance with any recommendations cannot of itself guarantee discharge of the duty of care owed to patients and others coming into contact with the health professional and the premises from which the health professional operates.
Whilst the text is directed to health professionals possessing appropriate qualifications and skills in ascertaining and discharging their professional (including legal) duties, it is not to be regarded as clinical advice and, in particular, is no substitute for a full examination and consideration of medical history in reaching a diagnosis and treatment based on accepted clinical practices.
Accordingly, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Ltd (RACGP) and its employees and agents shall have no liability (including without limitation liability by reason of negligence) to any users of the information contained in this publication for any loss or damage (consequential or otherwise), cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of any person using or relying on the information contained in this publication and whether caused by reason of any error, negligent act, omission or misrepresentation in the information.
Recommended citation
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Assessments and examinations candidate handbook. East Melbourne, Vic: RACGP, 2021.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Ltd 100 Wellington Parade East Melbourne, Victoria 3002
Tel 03 8699 0414 Fax 03 8699 0400 www.racgp.org.au
ABN: 34 000 223 807 ISBN: 978-0-86906-585-3
Published September 2020; updated August 2021, October 2021
© The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners 2021
This resource is provided under licence by the RACGP. Full terms are available at www.racgp.org.au/usage/licence. In summary, you must not edit or adapt it or use it for any commercial purposes. You must acknowledge the RACGP as the owner.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands and seas on which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders, past, present and future.
ID-1707.2
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook i
ContentsPart 1: RACGP entry assessments 1
1. Enrolling in the assessments 1
1.1 Exemption from the PEPEA 1
1.2 Financial hardship 2
1.3 Venue allocation 2
1.4 Personal information 2
2. Special arrangements 2
3. Withdrawing from an assessment 3
3.1 Withdrawal fees 3
4. Sitting the assessments 4
4.1 Presumption of fitness to sit 4
4.2 Presenting for an assessment 4
4.3 Note-taking during the assessments 5
4.4 Exam conduct 5
4.5 Exam confidentiality 5
5. Incidents 6
5.1 Issues that are not considered incidents 6
5.2 Compensation 6
6. Post-assessment 7
6.1 Reconsideration 7
6.2 Surveys 7
Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations 8
1. Enrolling in the examinations 8
1.1 Financial hardship 8
1.2 Venue allocation 9
1.3 Sitting the AKT or KFP on an alternative day 9
1.4 Personal information 9
ii Assessments and examinations candidate handbook
2. Special arrangements 10
3. Withdrawing from an examination 10
3.1 Withdrawal fees 10
3.2 Candidates unsuccessful in the AKT and/or KFP and enrolled in the CCE 11
4. Sitting the exams 12
4.1 Presumption of fitness to sit 12
4.2 Presenting for an examination 12
4.3 Items permitted in the examinations 13
4.4 Items not permitted in the examinations 13
4.5 Note-taking during the examinations 13
4.6 Exam conduct 14
4.7 Leaving the exam room 14
4.8 Exam confidentiality 14
4.9 Non-attendance at the exam 15
5. Incidents 15
5.1 Issues that are not considered incidents 15
5.2 Compensation 16
6. Post-examination 16
6.1 Reconsideration 16
6.2 Surveys 16
7. Exam eligibility and exam attempts 17
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 1: RACGP entry assessments 1
The RACGP has two entry assessments:
1. Candidate Assessment and Applied Knowledge Test (CAAKT) – a multiple-choice and ranking-question format computer-based test that assesses candidates’ readiness to undertake the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program
2. Practice Experience Program Entry Assessment (PEPEA) – a multiple-choice computer-based test that assesses candidates’ readiness to undertake the Practice Experience Program (PEP) – Standard Stream.
Candidates must obtain a minimum standard in the CAAKT in order to proceed to the next stage of the AGPT Program selection process, which is a Regional Training Organisation (RTO) interview. For further information regarding this process, please read the RACGP Australian General Practice Training Program Selection Policy and refer to the AGPT ‘Application and selection process’ web page.
Candidates must obtain a minimum standard in the PEPEA in order to be deemed eligible to proceed to the next stage of the PEP process. For further information regarding this process, please read the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Entry Policy and refer to the RACGP ‘About the PEP’ web page.
1. Enrolling in the assessments
Candidates who have been found eligible for the AGPT Program or the PEP will then be prompted via email to enrol in the CAAKT or PEPEA respectively.
Payment for the CAAKT and PEPEA does not constitute enrolment in the assessment. After successful payment has been made, candidates must ensure they proceed to assessment booking.
Enrolment fees are payable by credit card. Upon successful completion of enrolment, the candidate will receive a confirmation email with detailed information about that enrolment.
If a candidate’s credit card is not charged/debited and the confirmation email is not received, candidates should not assume they are enrolled and should contact the RACGP immediately to confirm the status of their enrolment. Only candidates with a valid enrolment will be permitted to sit an assessment.
1.1 Exemption from the PEPEAA candidate may qualify for an exemption from the PEPEA if they are either:
• a current AGPT registrar who has completed all training terms and has exhausted their training time
• a previous AGPT registrar who has completed all training terms and was withdrawn within the three years of the expected PEP start date.
For further information, please read the Practice Experience Program – Standard Stream Entry Policy.
Part 1: RACGP entry assessments
2 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 1: RACGP entry assessments
1.2 Financial hardshipCandidates are encouraged to enrol into an assessment as soon as possible after enrolments open, and to not wait until the end of the enrolment period. Any candidate experiencing financial hardship may make a request for an alternative payment arrangement by submitting an ‘Application for special consideration of financial hardship’ via email to [email protected].
1.3 Venue allocationWhen candidates submit their enrolment, they are asked to select their preferred venue location based on the available options. Candidates will receive confirmation of their scheduled test date, time and location upon completion of enrolment.
If a candidate’s address changes after enrolling, they must notify the RACGP as soon as possible.
All candidates are advised to carefully plan their travel to and from venues and consider the impact of fatigue and stress on safe travel. If appropriate to the situation, it is recommended that candidates consider overnight accommodation close to their allocated venue once this has been confirmed by the RACGP.
1.4 Personal informationThe RACGP will collect and may distribute your personal information as deemed reasonably necessary. It may be necessary to disclose personal information to bodies such as the Commonwealth Department of Health, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), Medicare, training organisations or other bodies.
Further information concerning the collection or distribution of personal information is available via the RACGP Privacy Policy.
2. Special arrangements
Candidates affected by circumstances beyond their control may request special arrangements in the delivery of an assessment in which they are enrolled, by submitting a Special arrangements application form. Granted requests for special arrangements apply to the individual assessment/s to which the application relates. Special arrangements cannot be transferred to another assessment or semester; candidates are required to submit new applications for these.
For further guidance, please refer to the Assessments and Examinations Special Arrangements Policy, the ‘RACGP assessments and examinations special arrangements guidance document’ and the ‘Provisions and procedures for nursing breaks during RACGP assessments and examinations’.
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 1: RACGP entry assessments 3
3. Withdrawing from an assessment
The RACGP understands that candidates may need to withdraw from an assessment in which they are enrolled. To withdraw from an assessment, candidates must email [email protected].
A candidate will be withdrawn from an assessment if they no longer meet the assessment eligibility requirements – for example, because they have lost their Australian medical registration. Candidates must disclose to the RACGP all changes to their medical registration, including any restrictions, conditions, suspensions and/or undertakings on their practice. Failure to do so will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy. Candidates must disclose changes to their medical registration via email to [email protected].
3.1 Withdrawal feesEnrolment fees cannot be transferred to a subsequent sitting of an assessment. Withdrawal fees may apply if a candidate withdraws from an assessment. Enrolment fees will be refunded according to the following schedule.
Date request for withdrawal is received Fee refund
At least 48 hours before the scheduled exam date Full enrolment fee
Fewer than 48 hours before the scheduled exam date Generally not available
For withdrawals within 48 hours of the scheduled assessment date, a candidate may apply for a special exemption to the above refund schedule on the grounds of extenuating and unforeseen circumstances. The RACGP determines the special exemption application and refund amount on a case-by-case basis. Factors such as costs already incurred by the RACGP will be taken into consideration when determining this amount and for some applications a partial refund may be provided. A candidate may apply for special exemption by submitting the Special exemption application form via email to [email protected].
Extenuating and unforeseen circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis, but must relate to circumstances which were unforeseen, outside the candidate’s control, and can be shown to have a direct and significant impact on the candidate’s ability to sit the scheduled assessment, including:
• ill-health (other than minor illnesses) with valid certificates
• carer’s leave with valid certificates
• bereavement
• acute adverse life circumstances
• hospitalisation
• Australian Defence Force deployment leave
• other circumstances involving significant changes to a participant’s circumstances.
4 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 1: RACGP entry assessments
4. Sitting the assessments
4.1 Presumption of fitness to sitCandidates who present at an assessment are presumed fit to sit the assessment. Marks are based solely on the performance of the candidate in the assessment, and cannot be changed based on personal circumstances surrounding the assessment.
If a candidate is unwell, or faces any other special circumstances that prevent them from presenting to an assessment or from performing in an assessment to the best of their ability, they must notify the RACGP as soon as possible to discuss late withdrawal options available to them.
If a candidate suddenly becomes ill during an assessment, they must notify exam staff immediately to discuss options available to them.
Note: Presumption of fitness to sit applies to all candidates, regardless of any approved applications for special arrangements within an assessment sitting.
4.2 Presenting for an assessment On the day of the assessment, it is important that candidates adhere to the following rules to ensure that delivery of the assessment runs smoothly, that no candidates are disadvantaged, and to protect the integrity of the assessment environment. Carefully read the information and ensure you understand what is expected of you. If you require any clarification, please contact the RACGP.
• Registration: It is recommended that candidates present for the assessment 30 minutes prior to the scheduled assessment commencement time. Candidates who present for the assessment up to 15 minutes late will be permitted to sit the assessment but they will not be given any additional exam time. Candidates who are more than 15 minutes late will not be permitted to sit the assessment and their attempt will be forfeited.
• Candidates must present primary current proof of identity to exam staff when presenting for the assessment. A primary proof of identity should be an original document and include a photograph. Accepted forms of proof of identity include:
– current Australian or foreign passport
– current Australian driver’s license (with photograph)
– proof of age or identity card issued by an Australian state or territory
– current Australian student identity card (with photograph)
– any other current Australian entitlement or identity card, issued by the Australian Government or a state or territory government, that includes a photograph of the candidate.
If a candidate’s proof of identity is in a different name to the name registered with the RACGP, contact [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance of the assessment date. Candidates will be required to provide evidence to support their name discrepancy, and this must be approved prior to the assessment day.
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 1: RACGP entry assessments 5
• No items are permitted in the assessment. Candidates must present all mobile phones and other personal belongings at the point of registration. These personal belongings will be securely stored by exam staff until the assessment concludes and candidates are released from the assessment and/or any designated quarantine areas.
Candidates may be asked to pat themselves down (eg along the arms, legs and waistline) to show that there is nothing hidden on their body. Candidates may also be asked to empty any clothing pockets for the purposes of allowing exam staff to verify that nothing is in them. Failure to comply with these requests will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy.
4.3 Note-taking during the assessmentsCandidates will be provided with appropriate materials to take notes during the assessment, and must leave all of these in the exam room after completing the assessment.
Candidates who fail to comply with these rules will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy.
4.4 Exam conductCandidates must obey all instructions on exam materials or given by exam staff.
During an assessment, candidates must not:
• smoke in the venue
• disturb any other candidate (eg mumbling, talking)
• communicate with or help any other candidate
• accept assistance from any other candidate
• look at another candidate’s computer screen or exam paper for any purpose
• permit any other candidate to read or copy from their computer screen or exam paper
• disturb the assessment proceedings in any other way.
4.5 Exam confidentialityAll RACGP exam materials are confidential. Candidates are required to maintain exam confidentiality, and to not disclose confidential information, including details of assessment questions and cases even after sitting the assessment and the release of results.
By enrolling in an assessment, candidates agree to the following rules:
• to not disclose confidential RACGP exam material with any peers, colleagues, external groups, companies or entities
• to not disclose confidential RACGP exam material on any social media platform.
Any breach of these rules will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.
6 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 1: RACGP entry assessments
5. Incidents
While every effort is made to ensure all assessments run smoothly and without incident, circumstances beyond the control of the RACGP may occasionally arise.
If a candidate has encountered an incident during the assessment that they believe has had a significant effect upon their performance in the assessment, they are encouraged to advise exam staff at the venue, or to notify the RACGP via email to [email protected] within two business days of the assessment. Any incident reported after the deadline of two business days will not be considered.
5.1 Issues that are not considered incidentsCandidates may encounter events during an assessment that are not considered incidents caused by RACGP procedural or administrative error, and candidates will not be compensated for the occurrence of these events. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Exam staff or other exam candidate sneezed or coughed during the assessment
• Exam staff accent
• Known disturbance that caused pause during the assessment
• Not reading case instructions/details properly and missing vital information
• Technical issues (eg computer glitches) that occurred before the commencement of the assessment
5.2 CompensationAll incidents are investigated and the impact on a candidate’s performance is considered by the Council of Censors (or delegate) prior to the release of results. If it is determined that an incident occurred due to RACGP procedural or administrative error and the candidate does not pass the exam, the candidate may be compensated in the form of a reduced enrolment fee for the next exam (same segment). Compensation cannot extend to the re-marking of an exam or an adjustment to results.
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 1: RACGP entry assessments 7
6. Post-assessment
6.1 ReconsiderationCandidates who believe that an incorrect decision has been made in relation to their assessment may apply for reconsideration of that decision. For further guidance, please refer to the RACGP Reconsiderations and Appeals Policy and the ‘RACGP reconsiderations and appeals guidance document’.
Candidates should note that an investigation will be undertaken to ensure all assessment marking and quality assurance steps were correctly executed. This investigation does not extend to a recalculation of results or performance reassessment.
6.2 SurveysFrom time to time, the RACGP will issue an online survey to candidates. The purpose of these surveys is to inform and guide the continued improvement of future RACGP assessment candidate experiences.
The survey is not the forum to report an incident that occurred during an assessment. If an incident has occurred, please report this immediately or within two business days following the conclusion of the assessment. Refer to section 5: ‘Incidents’.
8 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations
Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations
The RACGP Fellowship examinations consist of three exams:
1. Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) – a multiple-choice format test
2. Key Feature Problem (KFP) – a combination multiple-choice and short-answer format test
3. Clinical Competency Examination (CCE) – a real-time assessment of the candidate by multiple examiners across multiple clinical scenarios
The RACGP Fellowship examinations assess a candidate’s competency for unsupervised general practice anywhere in Australia. Each exam segment has a unique and targeted approach to assessing a candidate’s knowledge and ability.
For further information on each examination, including format, preparation, development, standard setting and results, refer to the RACGP Examinations guide.
1. Enrolling in the examinations
Enrolment for the RACGP Fellowship examinations can be completed at the RACGP website. Details of examination dates, enrolment dates, venues and fees are also available on the RACGP website.
Examination enrolment fees are payable by credit card or PayPal, and payment is processed immediately at the time of enrolment. Upon successful completion of enrolment, the candidate will receive a confirmation email with detailed information about that enrolment.
If a candidate’s credit card is not charged/debited and the confirmation email is not received, candidates should not assume they are enrolled and should contact the RACGP immediately to confirm the status of their enrolment. Only candidates with a valid enrolment will be permitted to sit an examination.
1.1 Financial hardshipCandidates are encouraged to enrol into an examination as soon as possible after enrolments open, and to not wait until the end of the enrolment period. Any candidate experiencing financial hardship may make a request for an alternative payment arrangement by submitting an ‘Application for special consideration for financial hardship’ via email to [email protected].
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations 9
1.2 Venue allocationWhen candidates submit their enrolment, they are asked to select their home or practice as their preferred address. Candidates are allocated to their closest available exam venue based on venue capacity and their preferred address.
If the closest exam venue is oversubscribed, candidates will be allocated to the next closest centre.
If a candidate’s address changes after enrolling, they must notify the RACGP as soon as possible.
Candidates are advised not to make any travel arrangements until their venue location has been confirmed.
• For the AKT and KFP: candidates will receive confirmation of their specific venue location approximately four weeks prior to the date of the exam in which they are enrolled.
• For the CCE: candidates will receive confirmation of the city in which their exam will be held approximately four weeks prior to the exam date.
All candidates are advised to carefully plan their travel to and from exam venues and consider the impact of fatigue and stress on safe travel. If appropriate to the situation, it is recommended that candidates consider overnight accommodation close to their allocated venue.
1.3 Sitting the AKT or KFP on an alternative dayCandidates who cannot present for the AKT and/or KFP on the scheduled examination dates for religious reasons may submit the Special Arrangements Application Form via email to [email protected] to undertake the examination/s on an alternative day. For further guidance, please refer to the Assessments and Examinations Special Arrangements Policy and the ‘RACGP assessments and examinations special arrangements guidance document’.
Candidates approved to undertake their examination/s on an alternative day are required to complete a statutory declaration stating they will not divulge or discuss the content of the examination with any other party before all other candidates have completed the examination. This declaration must be signed and witnessed as per the List of Authorised Witnesses advice from the Department of the Attorney-General. Any breach of this declaration will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy.
Candidates approved to undertake their examination/s on an alternative day may be required to pay fees, in addition to the standard enrolment fee, to cover the costs associated with delivering the examination in the customised conditions.
1.4 Personal informationThe RACGP will collect and may distribute your personal information as deemed reasonably necessary. It may be necessary to disclose personal information to bodies such as the Commonwealth Department of Health, AHPRA, Medicare, training organisations or other bodies.
Further information concerning the collection or distribution of personal information is available via the Privacy Policy.
10 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations
2. Special arrangements
Candidates affected by circumstances beyond their control may request special arrangements in the delivery of an examination in which they are enrolled, by submitting a Special arrangements application form. Granted requests for special arrangements apply to the individual examination/s to which the application relates. Special arrangements cannot be transferred to another examination or semester; candidates are required to submit new applications for these.
For further guidance, please refer to the Assessments and Examinations Special Arrangements Policy, the ‘RACGP assessments and examinations special arrangements guidance document’ and the ‘Provisions and procedures for nursing breaks during RACGP assessments and examinations’.
3. Withdrawing from an examination
The RACGP understands that candidates may need to withdraw from an examination in which they are enrolled. To withdraw from an examination, candidates must email [email protected].
A candidate will be withdrawn from an examination if they no longer meet the exam eligibility requirements – for example, because they have lost their Australian medical registration. Candidates must disclose to the RACGP all changes to their medical registration, including any restrictions, conditions, suspensions and/or undertakings on their practice. Failure to do so will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy. Candidates must disclose changes to their medical registration via email to [email protected].
3.1 Withdrawal feesEnrolment fees cannot be transferred to a subsequent sitting of an examination. Withdrawal fees may apply if a candidate withdraws from an examination. Enrolment fees will be refunded according to the following schedule:
Date request for withdrawal is received Fee refund
At least 20 business days before the scheduled exam date Enrolment fee, minus $100 withdrawal fee
Fewer than 20 business days before the scheduled exam date No refund
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations 11
For withdrawals within 19 business days of the scheduled exam date, a candidate may apply for a special exemption to the above refund schedule on the grounds of extenuating and unforeseen circumstances. The RACGP determines the special exemption application and refund amount on a case-by-case basis. Factors such as costs already incurred by the RACGP will be taken into consideration when determining this amount and for some applications a partial refund may be provided. A candidate may apply for special exemption by submitting the Special exemption application form via email to [email protected].
Extenuating and unforeseen circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis, but must relate to circumstances which were unforeseen, outside the candidate’s control, and can be shown to have a direct and significant impact on the candidate’s ability to sit the scheduled assessment, including:
• ill-health (other than minor illnesses) with valid certificates
• carer’s leave with valid certificates
• bereavement
• acute adverse life circumstances
• hospitalisation
• Australian Defence Force deployment leave
• other circumstances involving significant changes to a participant’s circumstances.
Please refer to clause 4.9 below for the consequences of non-attendance at an exam without a sanctioned withdrawal from that exam.
3.2 Candidates unsuccessful in the AKT and/or KFP and enrolled in the CCECCE candidates require a pass in both the AKT and KFP prior to sitting their clinical exam.
Candidates who enrol in all three Fellowship examinations in the same semester but fail the AKT and/or KFP will be withdrawn from the CCE and refunded the full enrolment fee following the publication of the prerequisite exam results.
12 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations
4. Sitting the exams
4.1 Presumption of fitness to sitCandidates who present at an examination are presumed fit to sit the examination. Marks are based solely on the performance of the candidate in the examination, and cannot be changed based on personal circumstances surrounding the examination.
If a candidate is unwell, or faces any other special circumstances that prevent them from presenting to an examination or from performing in an examination to the best of their ability, they must notify the RACGP via email to [email protected] as soon as possible to discuss late withdrawal options available to them.
If a candidate suddenly becomes ill during an examination, they must notify exam staff immediately to discuss options available to them.
Note: Presumption of fitness to sit applies to all candidates, regardless of any approved applications for special arrangements within an examination sitting.
4.2 Presenting for an examinationOn the day of the examination, it is important that candidates adhere to the following rules to ensure that delivery of the examination runs smoothly, that no candidates are disadvantaged, and to protect the integrity of the examination environment. Carefully read the information and ensure you understand what is expected of you. If you require any clarification, please contact the RACGP.
• Registration: For the AKT and KFP, it is recommended that candidates present 60 minutes prior to the scheduled exam commencement time. Registrations close 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam commencement time. Candidates who arrive after this time will not be permitted entry and their attempt will be forfeited.
– For the CCE, candidates must log into the examination via the appropriate link 30 minutes prior to the scheduled examination commencement time. Registrations close 15 minutes prior to the scheduled commencement time. Candidates who present for the examination after this time will not be permitted to sit the exam and their attempt will be forfeited.
– The RACGP does not accept bad weather or traffic experienced on the way to the exam venue as valid reasons for late arrival. Candidates are therefore encouraged to plan ahead and ensure they are early for the examination.
• Candidates must present primary current proof of identity to exam staff when presenting for the examination. A primary proof of identity should be an original document and include a photograph. Accepted forms of proof of identity include:
– current Australian or foreign passport
– current Australian driver’s license (with photograph)
– proof of age or identity card issued by an Australian state or territory
– current Australian student identity card (with photograph)
– any other current Australian entitlement or identity card, issued by the Australian Government or a state or territory government, that includes a photograph of the candidate.
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations 13
If a candidate’s proof of identity is in a different name to the name registered with the RACGP, contact [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance of the exam date. Candidates will be required to provide evidence to support their name discrepancy, and this must be approved prior to the exam day.
• Personal items: For the AKT and KFP, candidates must present all mobile phones and other personal belongings at the point of registration. These personal belongings will be securely stored by staff until the exam concludes and candidates are released. Candidates may be asked to pat themselves down (eg along the arms, legs and waistline) to show that there is nothing hidden on their body. Candidates may also be asked to empty any clothing pockets for the purposes of allowing exam staff to verify that nothing is in them. Failure to comply with these requests will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy.
4.3 Items permitted in the examinationsFor the AKT and KFP:
• Up to two clear, colourless water bottles
• Earplugs; however, candidates must ensure they can hear announcements made by exam staff
4.4 Items not permitted in the examinationsCandidates must not bring the following items into the AKT, KFP or CCE (face-to-face) exam room:
• Pens (these are provided by the RACGP in all examinations)
• Watches of any type or description
• Writing paper, notes, books and notebooks, computers, calculators or any recording or electronic devices
• Food or beverages other than water (unless special arrangements have been granted)
• Any other personal belongings
CCE candidates completing the remote/online portion of their exam may use a pen and blank paper for note-taking, and may have their phone with them (on silent) in case contact with the college is required.
Candidates who bring a prohibited item into the exam room will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy.
4.5 Note-taking during the examinationsAt RACGP-arranged venues:
• candidates will be provided with paper to take notes during the examination
• candidates must leave all paper in the exam venue after completing the examination.
For remote examinations:
• candidates may bring their own blank paper and pen into the exam
• notes must be torn up at the end of each exam case.
14 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations
Candidates who fail to comply with these rules will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy.
4.6 Exam conductCandidates must obey all instructions on exam materials or given by exam staff.
During an examination, candidates must not:
• smoke in the venue
• disturb any other candidate (eg mumbling, talking)
• communicate with or help any other candidate
• accept assistance from any other candidate or person in the room
• look at another candidate’s computer screen or exam paper for any purpose
• permit any other candidate to read or copy from their computer screen or exam paper
• disturb the examination proceedings in any other way.
4.7 Leaving the exam room If a candidate needs to leave the room during an examination, they must be escorted by an invigilator/supervisor or examiner. Candidates will not be re-admitted into the exam room, unless an invigilator supervises the candidates during the period of absence from the exam room.
During the AKT and KFP, candidates must not leave the exam room during the first 30 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the exam.
4.8 Exam confidentialityAll RACGP exam materials are confidential. Candidates are required to maintain exam confidentiality, and to not disclose confidential information, including details of exam questions and cases even after sitting the examination and the release of results.
By enrolling in an examination, candidates agree to the following rules:
• to not disclose confidential RACGP exam material with any peers, colleagues, external groups, companies or entities
• to not disclose confidential RACGP exam material on any social media platform.
Any breach of these rules will be investigated in line with the Academic Misconduct Policy.
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations 15
4.9 Non-attendance at the examAs per the Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy, candidates are permitted to enrol in Fellowship examinations in up to six semesters over a maximum of three years, subject to granted periods of leave or suspension. If a candidate does not attend an exam in which they are enrolled (without having their withdrawal from the exam sanctioned by the RACGP), the exam attempt is still recognised. For example, a candidate enrolled and sat the 2019.1 and 2019.2 AKT, and enrolled but did not attend the 2020.1 AKT. The RACGP recognises three attempts at the AKT.
A candidate may apply for a special exemption to have their withdrawal sanctioned by the RACGP, by submitting the Special exemption application form to [email protected]. If granted, their non-attendance at the exam will not be considered as an exam attempt. Applications for special exemption are considered on a case-by-case basis, and granted at the RACGP’s discretion.
Regardless of whether the non-attendance at an exam is counted as an exam attempt, if a candidate sat another exam within that same semester their exam candidacy cannot be suspended. For example, a candidate does not attend the 2020.1 AKT but does go on to sit the 2020.1 KFP. Even if their non-attendance at the 2020.1 AKT was then sanctioned, the RACGP cannot suspend their exam candidacy for the 2020.1 semester. This is because they have sat the KFP in that same semester.
5. Incidents
While every effort is made to ensure all examinations run smoothly and without incident, circumstances beyond the control of the RACGP may occasionally arise.
If a candidate has encountered an incident during the examination that they believe has had a significant effect upon their performance in the examination, they can complete an incident report at the exam venue.
Alternatively, for the AKT and KFP, candidates may submit the Incident report form via email to [email protected] within two national office business days of the exam. Clinical exam candidates should complete the online form available on the CCE webpage within two national office business days. The RACGP recommends candidates submit an incident report at the exam venue so proper investigations can take place before the conclusion of the exam. Any incident reports received after the deadline of two business days will not be considered.
Incident reports must be completed in full and with all relevant details included.
5.1 Issues that are not considered incidentsCandidates may encounter events during the examinations that are not considered incidents caused by RACGP procedural or administrative error, and candidates will not be compensated for the occurrence of these events. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Exam staff, examiner, standardised patient, or other exam candidate sneezed or coughed during the examination
• Exam staff, examiner or standardised patient accent
• Known disturbance that caused pause during the examination
16 Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations
• Not reading case instructions/details properly and missing vital information
• Technical issues (eg computer glitches) that occurred before the commencement of the examination
• Hospital announcements (eg MET calls) overheard
• Staff member knocked or entered the room
• Recognising an examiner who is known to the candidate. Some examiners may be known/familiar to candidates. Examiners declare conflicts of interest with any candidates they consider themselves to have a conflict of interest with; however, not all levels of conflict warrant a replacement examiner. Candidates should proceed with the case focusing on the specifics of that case and the simulated patient in front of them and not dwell on the examiner in the room
• Names of the simulated patients on the case instructions. You should apply the case instructions as relevant to the gender of the simulated patient in the case
5.2 CompensationAll incidents are investigated and the impact on a candidate’s performance is considered by the Council of Censors (or delegate) prior to the release of results. If it is determined that an incident occurred due to RACGP procedural or administrative error and the candidate does not pass the exam, the candidate may be compensated in the form of a reduced enrolment fee for the next exam (same segment).
Compensation cannot extend to the re-marking of an examination or an adjustment to results.
6. Post-examination
6.1 ReconsiderationCandidates who believe that an incorrect decision has been made in relation to their examination may apply for reconsideration of that decision. For further guidance, please refer to the RACGP Reconsiderations and Appeals Policy and ‘RACGP reconsiderations and appeals guidance document’.
Candidates should note that an investigation will be undertaken to ensure all examination marking and quality assurance steps were correctly executed. This investigation does not extend to a recalculation of results or performance reassessment.
6.2 SurveysFrom time to time, the RACGP will issue an online survey to candidates. The purpose of these surveys is to inform and guide the continued improvement of future RACGP examination candidate experiences.
The survey is not the forum to report an incident that occurred during an examination. If an incident has occurred, please report this immediately or within two business days following the conclusion of an examination. Refer to section 5: ‘Incidents’.
Assessments and examinations candidate handbook Part 2: RACGP Fellowship examinations 17
7. Exam eligibility and exam attempts
Candidates for Fellowship are permitted to enrol in Fellowship examinations in up to six semesters over a maximum period of three years, subject to granted periods of suspension or leave.
From 1 January 2022, all medical practitioners who wish to commence their candidacy and attempt the Fellowship examinations must have undertaken an RACGP-approved program and met all exam eligibility requirements of the respective pathway before being eligible to sit the examinations.
Medical practitioners who have commenced their candidacy but have not passed all three Fellowship examination segments prior to 1 January 2022 will be required to undertake an RACGP-approved program (the AGPT Program, the Remote Vocational Training Scheme [RVTS] or the PEP) and meet all exam eligibility requirements of the respective pathway before being able to continue sitting the examinations. The candidate’s period of candidacy will be suspended upon entering the program, until they have regained exam eligibility status.
For further information, please read the Fellowship Exam Attempts Policy.
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