Substantial Comparability Assessment Review Panel (SCARP)

Responsible directly to the Committee for Specialist International Medical Graduate Education (CSIMGE), the main role of the SCARP is to review, within a framework of appropriate clinical and professional standards, all assessments of candidates undertaking Substantial Comparability Placement. Based on this review, the Panel makes a recommendation to CSIMGE to confirm/not confirm the candidate’s Substantial Comparability status which leads to eligibility for Fellowship.

CSIMGE has overall responsibility for policy management, process and procedure of the Substantial Comparability Placement and its associated assessments. CSIMGE delegates the oversight of individual candidate progress in work-place assessments to SCARP. CSIMGE may also seek and /or accept advice from SCARP about SCP policy management, process and procedure.

Substantial Comparability Assessment Review Panel Regulations [PDF; 75 KB]

Responsibilities

Oversee the progress of each candidate in a Substantial Comparability Placement by means of review of Supervisor and Employer reports, Case Based Discussion reports and Multisource (360°) feedback reports.
Appropriately manage any candidate’s unsatisfactory progress in a Substantial Comparability Placement.
Determine an outcome to either confirm or not confirm a candidate’s Substantial Comparability status, document the outcome and provide a recommendation to the CSIMGE.
Recruit and provide training and accreditation of Substantial Comparability assessors and supervisors.
Monitor the performance of Substantial Comparability assessors and supervisors.
Undertake quality assurance of assessor training by calibration activities, and of assessor function by audit, including direct observation.
Undertake quality assurance of Substantial Comparability assessments by providing CSIMGE with recommendations in relation to policy management and process.

Meeting frequency

The SCARP typically meets 11 times per calendar year:

2 face-to-face meetings (typically up to 4.5 hours’ duration per meeting). Note: in light of COVID-19 any face-to-face meeting will be held by other means.
9 teleconference meetings (typically up to 1 hour duration per meeting).

A panel member may also be required to respond to emails between formal meetings.