FAQ

The Clinical Competency Assessment – Modified Portfolio Review (CCA – MPR) is the major clinical assessment of the Fellowship Training Program. You will find the FAQs relating to the assessment on this page.

1. When will the Clinical Competency Assessment – Modified Portfolio Review (CCA – MPR) be offered?

The CCA – MPR will be offered from April 2024 to April 2026. 

2. What are the major changes in the Clinical Competency Assessment – Modified Portfolio Review (CCA – MPR) compared to the CCA in 2023?

Two of the three end-of-rotation In-Training Assessments (ITAs) included in the Portfolio Review (PR) must be from Stage 3, along with their associated Observed Clinical Activities (OCAs). 

The three ITAs must cover a training time of at least 15 months (FTE) duration, nine of which must be Stage 3 training. 

See the CCA – MPR web page for more information. 

3. How many end-of-rotation ITAs and OCAs will be included in the MPR?

All end-of-rotation ITAs and OCAs completed in the three most recent rotations will be considered for the PR. Trainees working part-time at two locations may have more than three ITAs and OCAs completed in the last three rotations. All these ITAs and associated OCAs will be considered for the PR. 

4. Can trainees submit a request to change supervisor comments or scores to the end-of-rotation ITAs and corresponding OCAs retrospectively?

The assessment panels will review the end-of-rotation ITAs and the corresponding OCAs as originally submitted and reviewed at the College. The PR will not consider any retrospective applications to alter supervisor feedback in the ITA and OCA form. 

5. Which rotations will be considered for the Portfolio Review?

The three most recent end-of-rotation ITAs and OCAs will be considered.  

6. How many ITAs or OCAs are assessed in the Portfolio Review for the SIMG candidates?

A SIMG Portfolio Review will involve the three most recent ITAs and OCAs.  However, where three ITAs are not available, the two most recent end-of-rotation ITAs with their associated OCAs may be considered for review. Candidates should have at least two Stage 3 end-of-rotation ITAs (for a total of at least 12 months FTE duration) recorded at the College and should have completed at least two Stage 3 OCAs. 

7. Will an ‘unable to comment’ rating on my end-of-rotation ITA automatically result in an unsuccessful Portfolio Review?

This will not automatically result in an unsuccessful PR, however, several ‘Unable to Comment’ (UC) across multiple domains may not provide sufficient information to the assessors to determine if competency has been met.   

8. Will supervisor comments be assessed in the CCA – MPR?

Supervisor comments for ITAs and all corresponding OCAs will be provided to assessors for review. 

9. Can Directors of Training (DoTs) be included in the Portfolio Review Panel?

The College has established several review panels for the Portfolio Review assessment. Membership includes Fellows and New Zealand Affiliates with experience in supervision and training. DoTs may be included in these panels.  

10. What if there is no OCA completed for a part-time or short-term end-of-rotation ITA?

For part-time rotations, where an OCA is not completed for an ITA, the PROP can request other previous OCAs for review. However, two Stage 3 OCAs are essential for inclusion. 

11. Can the candidate apply for the CCA – MPR while on approved Break in Training?

The candidate can apply for a CCA – MPR application whilst he or she is on approved Break in Training provided that the candidate meets all other eligibility criteria requirements as mentioned on the website.

12. Will trainees be eligible to apply for CCA – MPR if their rotation is non-clinical?

CCA – MPR applicants should have ideally completed a minimum of six months (FTE) in clinical rotations during the nine-month Stage 3 training in addition to the non-clinical ITAs. This is to demonstrate sufficient competency across all the CanMEDs clinical domains. A non-clinical ITA should have an associated OCA available for review. 

13. What if the trainee fails to meet the total 15 months of FTE requirement in the last three rotations due to working part-time?

For part-time trainees who do not meet 15 months of FTE training time in the last three rotations, a previous end-of-rotation ITA may be considered in the PR, if they have met all other eligibility requirements including having completed the nine-month Stage 3 FTE requirement. 

14. Will late application requests be accepted for the CCA – MPR?

All CCA – MPR applications will be received via InTrain. No late applications will be accepted.

Any special consideration requests regarding the CCA – MPR applications must be sent to clinicals@ranzcp.org within five business days after the closing date.

15. What will my application status be if my ITAs and OCAs are not finalised at the time of application?

Please ensure that your recent ITAs and corresponding OCAs are submitted to the College in a timely manner so that duly completed ITAs can be accurately recorded in InTrain. Your application will be ‘Pending’ if the relevant ITAs are not ‘Completed’ in InTrain, at the time of your application. 

16. How will it affect my examination/application if my fees are outstanding?

Should you have any outstanding exam payments, you will no longer be eligible for this assessment. The RANZCP reserves the right to withhold any candidate’s results should the candidate have any training or assessment outstanding fees owed to the RANZCP at the time of the result release. The results will remain withheld until such payments are paid in full.  

17. When do I pay the application fee for the CCA – MPR?

Once the College has reviewed and approved your application for the CCA – MPR, you will receive a prompt via InTrain to make the payment.

Please refer to the InTrain Help Centre for further information.

18. My training status currently displays as ‘Not in Training’. Am I eligible for the CCA – MPR?

Trainees who are categorised with having ‘Not in Training’ status will not be eligible to apply for CCA – MPR.  

19. What if I am not successful in the Portfolio Review?

There will be no Case-based Discussion (CbD) in this assessment process for candidates who are unable to demonstrate the standard required in the CCA – MPR. 

The candidates who are unsuccessful in the Portfolio Review can re-apply for the next round of CCA – MPR once they have completed a further 6 months FTE of Stage 3 rotation with a corresponding OCA for consideration. 

20. Do trainees have to go through Targeted Learning or Training Review if they are unsuccessful in the CCA – MPR?  

The candidates who are unsuccessful in their CCA – MPR will not be required to undertake Targeted Learning or Training Review. 

21. When will the Portfolio Reviews commence?

The Portfolio Reviews will commence approximately within 2-3 weeks of the applications closing dates. It is essential that candidates get their most recent ITAs and OCAs finalised as soon as possible and ensure that their training record is complete and is recorded with the College to avoid any delays. 

22. When will I receive the outcome of my Portfolio Review?

The CCA – MPR results will be released in multiple rounds. The candidates will be notified via email when their results are finalised. Please refer to the exam timetable for further information. 

23. Will there be special considerations applicable during this transition to CCA – MPR eligibility criteria?

The effect of this change does not disadvantage the trainees with six months of Stage 3 training. For example, Trainees applying for CCA – MPR with 12 months of Stage 3 completed training time will have two more opportunities to reapply with additional Stage 3 ITAs in case they are unsuccessful in their Portfolio Review. Therefore, there is no compelling case for special consideration during this transitional phase.

24. How will the College manage any potential assessors’ conflicts of interest which arise during the marking process?

The College de-identifies the assessment data to the extent possible. Should any conflicts of interest arise during the marking process by the panel assessor or PROP, members must declare the conflict of interest and recuse themselves from the review process.