EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF PATHOLOGY CHAIRS AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS
Utrecht, August 15, 2008
Ref: 1. First competency test, October 1, 2008
2. Annual General Meeting Athens, October 12, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
We would like to draw your attention to two important events organised by the EAPCP in the next months
1. The first European competency test on October 1.
As you know the EU has awarded us in October 2007 financial support to introduce a web based European competency test for residents and pathologists, called EUROPALS(European Pathology Learning System). We were given 3 years to complete this project.
The past 10 months were used to make the necessary arrangements to come up with a prototype (try out) on-line test. A main task was the selection of a knowledgeable IT partner who is competent to delivering a web-based test and can supply the candidates and the organisers with valuable information on uptake and performance. For this task we hired the Belfast based company i-Path. We are now ready for the first test that will mainly be used to assess the performance of the system infrastructure and hardware when a large number of persons use the system at the same time. This is important since some of the questions are based on virtual on-line slide images.
This test is planned for Wednesday October 1, 2008, and will be accessible for 2 hours from 11.00-13.00 h, Central European Time.
The test consists of 10 virtual slides, each accompanied by 2 MCQ’s with 3 alternative answers. In addition there are 30 theoretical MCQ’s also with 3 alternatives. The estimated time needed varies from 60-90 minutes. This allows participants some flexibility in case an important professional activity should come up during the test.
The test will be treated in a completely anonymous way. The information to be supplied is a random registration number, country of training, year of training (or being a pathologist) and an email address. The email address is only used to inform users about login details. Immediately after closing the test the participant will receive feedbackabout his/her proportion of correct answers and how they performed on each question. Once the test results have been analysed each participant will be able to compare the individual scores against the overall mean score and the mean score per training year.Thegroup of pathologists will receive identical information. At the end of the test there will be an opportunity to complete an evaluation form where we can gather your views and ideas on the test. Your comments will be extremely valuable in shaping future tests and in helping us build a robust platform for evaluation and training in the future.
Once the evaluation form has been completed, the participants will receive a EUROPALS Certificate of Completion, which might be used in portfolios.
In addition we will have the test psychometrically evaluated by testing experts who will supply us with information about the quality and appropriateness of the questions.
The main goal of this on-line test is to see whether the servers are able to handle a large amount of participants at one moment. With over 250 academic departments in Europe we hope to get at least 1000 participants. If we have more candidates we will supply another test opportunity in the afternoon. It is therefore very important for us that as many residents/pathologists as possibleparticipate in this initial test, this is the basis for its success.
In order to get a rough estimate of the number of potential participants,we would appreciate if you can give us the number of candidates likely to be taking the test from your department. Please send an email to: mentioning the number of your candidates. i-Path will then contact you about the registration procedures. Please do this as soon as possible.
Please keep October 1, 11:00-13.00h CET free and we look forward to participation of your Department in this important initiative
2. Annual General meeting, October 12, Athens (= 2nd network annual meeting of the LLL programm)
The Annual General Meeting will be held on October the 12th in Athens in connection with the International IAP congress that will be held there that week.This meeting is also the second annual network meeting of the LLL project. Although further information will follow in the middle of September, I would like to inform you already now about some important topics that are going to be discussed that day:
-the results of the test of October 1, will be evaluated and the comments of the candidates will be discussed.
-a concepttext for an European pathology curriculum that includes the general and specific pathology competencies that will be used as a guideline for further tests;the imbedding of these competences in the training programs. This text will be mailed to you in advance, but your input in the discussion will be of great importance for us, so please consider to participate in this meeting if you can.
-the future tests and your involvement in supplying us with questions.
-functioning of the different committees and the need for additional enthusiastic members.
There are many more topics but these might already be attractive enough to make you decide to join us in this meeting.
Best wishes to all of you,
Jan G van den Tweel
President EAPCP