Examination update

Examination update 2021

We administered eight major examination events across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia in 2021: • three sittings of the General Surgical

Science Examination (GSSE)/Surgical

Science Examination (SSE) for 1139 candidates • two clinical exams for 179 candidates • two Fellowship written exams (Part 1), and two Fellowship clinical exams (Part 2) for a record 425 candidates. The first clinical exam during the COVID-19 pandemic was a return to paper-based delivery to support multiple locations. The June exam ran with tablet marking for the first time—used concurrently in multiple locations. Only one of the 11 locations was unable to go ahead with the exam due to the June Sydney lockdown. The October clinical exam was also cancelled.

The Fellowship clinical exams were administered across multiple sites for all nine specialties during the 2021 response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant number of retired examiners retrained to examine and observe exams. With their help, we supported 231 virtual observations and provisioned an additional General Surgery Fellowship Exam in New South Wales to ensure all applicants were examined and standards maintained.

Neurosurgery and Vascular Surgery specialties did not participate in the November sitting. Although cancelled in mid-stream planning, the second sitting of the Fellowship Exam was reinstated in seven of nine specialties in response to stakeholder feedback. This was possible due to the commitment and support across the wider College—from examiners and retired Fellows, local coordinators, volunteers, staff and members of the training boards.