The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Assessment Unit is seeking to appoint a new senior examiner for the Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (DTM&H) to continue the excellent work of Professor Uli Schwab as DTM&H Exam Board Chair.
The senior examiner (DTM&H) reports to the RCP clinical lead for assessment. Working in collaboration with the RCP assessment unit staff, the senior examiner (DTM&H) will provide clinical insight and leadership and coordinate the work of the RCP that relates to the conduct of the DTM&H examination.
The Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) examination tests the knowledge of physicians who wish to practise medicine effectively in developing countries.
The DTM&H is a written examination which consists of three parts including:
- Two 50 question ‘best of five’ papers, designed to test the candidate’s knowledge of tropical medicine and hygiene over a wide area
- A parasitology/entomology ‘short answer’ paper
- A preventive medicine ‘short essay’ paper.
The online examination takes place annually and all parts of the examination are sat in a single day.
Remit
The senior examiner (DTM&H) has the responsibility to ensure that the DTM&H examination is conducted appropriately and in line with the approved regulations for the examination, wider regulatory frameworks (e.g. Equality Act, GDPR) and applicable RCP procedures throughout the lifecycle of the assessment process.
The RCP senior examiner (DTM&H) will work in collaboration with RCP staff and College Officers to ensure that the highest standards of quality assurance, quality improvement, governance, innovation, equity, equality and diversity and operational sustainability are maintained.
Role responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:
- ensuring that DTM&H is conducted appropriately and in accordance with the DTM&H Examination Regulations
- oversight of content creation and paper setting in collaboration with the Question Writing Group leads
- working with the RCP Assessment Unit to recruitment, training and management of examiners
- working with the RCP Assessment Unit in supporting candidates wishing to sit the DTM&H examination, including the provision of feedback and handling candidate queries in close conjunction with the assessment unit
- reporting to the RCP Education Board through the clinical lead for assessment and deputy director for education with responsibility for the assessment unit on issues that affect academic, operational, and policy matters relating to DTM&H
- involvement in the process of appeals, complaints and misconduct related to DTM&H.
Eligibility
- Registered with the GMC with a current licence to practise
- On the specialist register, specialising in either Infectious Diseases or Tropical Medicine
- Experience in medical assessment at post-graduate level.
Board and committee membership
- DTM&H Examination Board (chair)
- DTM&H Development Group (member)
- DTM&H Question Writing Group (observer)
- DTM&H Question Paper Review Group (by invitation).
Time commitment
The DTM&H Examination Board meets once a year (virtually). In addition, the senior examiner (DTM&H) will work with the Assessment Unit team and examiner colleagues between these meetings and examinations on monitoring the progress of content creation, paper setting and examiner recruitment and training.
Over the course of the year the anticipated time commitment for this role will be around two hours per week. There will be weeks when no input is required but at during peak periods of activity (e.g. standard setting, marking, signing off results) the commitment is likely to be the equivalent of a day a week, or sometimes more.
Remuneration
This is a non-salaried position although reasonable expenses and travel costs will be met by the RCP in line with their expenses policy.
Tenure
The tenure of board appointments is three years, subject to satisfactory annual review. Subject to the agreement of the RCP Education Board, individual tenure may be extended by up to a maximum of two years to ensure orderly succession planning.
Performance review
The RCP clinical lead for assessment or their appointee is responsible for giving feedback to senior examiners on their performance as part of an annual cycle of review.
Confidentiality
The work of exams is highly sensitive, and it is the responsibility of those working on the development of the exams to ensure that the confidentiality of candidate information, examination results and examination material is respected at all times.
Conflict of interest
Should a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest with this role arise at any time it is the responsibility of the individual to inform the RCP clinical lead for assessment, or their appointee.
Copyright
All those working with the RCP are required to assign the copyright of the material to the RCP.
How to apply
Applications for the post, including a CV and one-page covering letter outlining your suitability for the post, should be submitted for the attention of Jane Ratford via Assessment.Unit@RCP.ac.uk by 17:00 UK time on 5 April 2023.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted after the closing date above with further details regarding the interview process.
For an informal discussion regarding the role please contact Jane Ratford, Deputy Director for Education on the above email address, or via 0151 318 1873.
The RCP positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.