IOCA

What is an IOCA  

The Independent Observed Clinical Activity (IOCA) is an RANZCP-approved Workplace-Based Assessment (WBA) tool.

The processes and activities involved in assessing an IOCA are similar to those in the existing Observed Clinical Activity (OCA). However, the IOCA has some specific differences and enhancements that streamline the independent assessment process.

Differences between the OCA and IOCA  

The IOCA is different from the OCA in the following ways:  

• IOCAs are assessed by an independent assessor, not by the trainee’s principal supervisor.  
• The patient’s written consent is required to participate in the clinical assessment.  
• The IOCA is to be done in one session on a single day. 
• The trainee / partially comparable SIMG is not provided any patient information before the patient interview.  
• Feedback is only provided at the end of the assessment, not after the patient interview.  
• Thinking time / reflection is 30 minutes. 
• Patients will be asked to share their reflections on the performance of the candidate. This feedback plays a crucial role in enhancing training practices and promoting continuous improvement, without influencing the assessment outcome or rating.

Inclusion of IOCAs in the Clinical Competency Portfolio Review (CCPR)  

IOCAs are one of the essential components of the Clinical Competency Portfolio Review (CCPR), launching in September 2026. See detailed eligibility requirements for this assessment.  

Transition period   

There are transition arrangements for IOCAs to allow you enough time to meet the requirements of the CCPR. 

For trainees and partially comparable SIMGs who want to apply for the CCPR in September 2026:  

• You will only need to complete one Stage 3 IOCA.  
• You can complete a Stage 3 IOCA in any Stage 3 rotation, starting from August 2025.  
• The IOCA can replace the standard OCA requirement for the rotation. 

For trainees who finish Stage 2 before August 2026:  

• You will be exempt from the Stage 2 IOCA requirement for the CCPR. 

For trainees who are in, or enter Stage 2 after August 2026:  

• You can complete a Stage 2 IOCA in any Stage 2 rotation, starting from August 2026.  
• You will be required to have both a Stage 2 and Stage 3 IOCA to meet CCPR requirements later. 

Final implementation of CCPR 

• The Clinical Competency Portfolio Review (CCPR) will replace the CCA – MPR assessment.  
• Trainees will need to do an IOCA in Stage 2, and one in Stage 3.  
• Partially comparable SIMGs will need to do two IOCAs in Stage 3.  

For more detail on how the IOCA and CCPR relate to each other, and the rules around this please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.  

Independent assessors  

IOCAs must be conducted by an independent assessor.

An independent assessor must:  

• be an accredited RANZCP supervisor  
• have participated in the RANZCP OCA/IOCA supervisor training  
• not have been a principal supervisor of the candidate in the previous 12 months  
• not have any personal or professional conflict of interest with the candidate.  

Become an independent assessor

To become an independent assessor, RANZCP supervisors will need to complete a formal training workshop, offered by the College.

Role of principal supervisors

The College supports supervisors to find a suitable patient, an independent assessor and to coordinate the IOCA.

1. Find a suitable patient

Principal supervisors need to identify a suitable patient for the IOCA, someone not known by the trainee or partially comparable SIMG.

2. Find an independent assessor  

Principal supervisors are also responsible for finding a suitable independent assessor, preferably from the same jurisdiction or an adjacent service.

They can either nominate someone they know or request an independent assessor on the IOCA form in InTrain.

3. Act as central contact point

It's the responsibility of principal supervisors to ensure the patient, independent assessor and trainee / partially comparable SIMG are informed and ready to participate on the proposed date and time.

• View a detailed step-by-step guide to arranging an IOCA, including 'how-to' videos.

Initiating an IOCA

Trainees or partially comparable SIMGs wanting to undertake an IOCA need to initiate an IOCA under the Forms tab (Initiate WBA option) in InTrain. Their principal supervisor will be notified of the request.

How the IOCA is conducted and assessed

View an outline of the IOCA structure, format and assessment framework, including approximate timings.

IOCA scoring guide

A new 5-point rating scale comes into effect for all OCAs and IOCAs from August 2025, replacing the 9-point scale.

• IOCA and OCA 5-point rating scale and scoring guide [PDF; 300 KB]

For more detail on WBA requirements, please refer to the Workplace-Based Assessment Policy and Procedure.

Incident form

If an incident occurs during your IOCA assessment that could affect your performance or the outcome of the examination, please complete an Incident Report form within 5 working days of the assessment.