Professionalism assessment categories
| Category | Description |
| Observed clinical encounter assessment | Carried out by observing a professional-patient interaction that is conducted in real patient care environments using real patients. |
| Assessments carried out by coworkers | This occurs through the collection of data and feedback on an individual’s performance, acquired from various interested parties. Can be used to assess skills and behaviours that can sometimes be hidden within a formal environment. |
| Records of unprofessionalism incidents | This is used on an ‘as needed’ basis, whereby an observed incident of unprofessional behaviour can be reported and collected centrally. An overview group would review the reports to determine if a pattern of behaviour is apparent and/or if further action is needed. |
| Critical incident report | This method asks the professional to reflect on a critical incident that he or she has experienced or witnessed. It can encourage reflection and attention to elements of professionalism. |
| Simulations | Scenarios that resemble real-life situations, but often use models or simulated patients. Simulations can be used to evaluate rare or unpredictable situations or to standardise the assessment of higher order communication skills. |
| Patients’ opinions | Obtained by collecting questionnaire-based patient opinions about the nominee’s abilities in specific areas. |
| Supervisors’ opinion | This is a summary view made by a supervisor, reported on a form with predefined criteria. Criteria help define areas of importance, but their tendency to be used as the viewpoints of single observers at unique times can make them unreliable and difficult to defend. |
| Tests based on problem situations | This requires providing a scenario, such as an ethical dilemma or video meeting, and a series of questions to be answered and test underlying knowledge of some principles of professionalism, moral reasoning or decision-making. |
| Self-administered assessment | It consists of a questionnaire-based tool that an individual uses to evaluate his or her personal attributes or attitudes. It can help with reflection but has limited use in summative assessments because it cannot assess what a person does. |