2019 Divisional Written Examination - Instructions to Candidates - RACP
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2019 Divisional
Written Examination
Instructions to Candidates
1
2
Table of Contents
Important examination information ..................................................................................... 4
Key dates ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Locations .............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Fees .................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Applying for the exam ........................................................................................................... 6
1. Eligibility ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 Examination attempts .......................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 Notification to apply.............................................................................................................................. 6
2. Application period ....................................................................................................................................... 6
3. Application confirmation .............................................................................................................................. 7
4. Submission of PREP tools .......................................................................................................................... 7
5. Final confirmation ........................................................................................................................................ 7
6. Withdrawal of application ............................................................................................................................ 7
7. Special consideration .................................................................................................................................. 8
7.1. Grounds for special consideration ....................................................................................................... 8
7.2. How to apply for special consideration ................................................................................................ 8
Examination format ............................................................................................................... 9
8. Structure of the Divisional Written Examination ......................................................................................... 9
8.1. Visual material ..................................................................................................................................... 9
8.2. Multiple choice questions (MCQs) ....................................................................................................... 9
8.3. Extended matching questions (EMQs) .............................................................................................. 10
9. Examination resources ............................................................................................................................. 11
10. Reading preparation ................................................................................................................................. 11
11. Sample questions ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Examination day ...................................................................................................................12
12. Examination day timetable ........................................................................................................................ 12
13. Items to bring to your examination ............................................................................................................ 12
14. Items not permitted in the examination area............................................................................................. 12
15. Seating arrangements............................................................................................................................... 13
16. Completing the examination ..................................................................................................................... 13
16.1. Completing the question booklets and answer sheets ...................................................................... 13
16.2. Leaving the examination room ........................................................................................................... 14
After the examination ...........................................................................................................15
17. Marking ..................................................................................................................................................... 15
18. Results ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
19. Divisional Clinical examination ................................................................................................................. 15Important examination information
Key dates
Written examination date Monday, 18 February 2019
Examination applications open Friday, 2 November 2018
(9am AEDT/9am NZDT)
Examination applications close Monday, 26 November 2018
(12pm AEDT/12pm NZDT)
Submission of PREP requirements Australia: Thursday, 31 January 2019
New Zealand: Thursday, 20 December 2018
Pre-examination special consideration requests Monday, 4 February 2019 (5pm AEDT/5pm
close NZDT)
• Provisions for examination day
• Change of venue
Examination day special consideration requests Friday, 8 March 2019 (5pm AEDT/5pm NZDT)
close
• Technical and procedural issues
Results released (via email) Thursday, 14 March 2019
(3pm AEDT/3pm NZDT)
Locations
The 2019 Divisional Written Examination will be held in the following locations:
Australia
Adelaide Melbourne
Brisbane Newcastle
Cairns Perth
Canberra Sydney
Darwin Townsville
Geelong Wollongong
Gold Coast
Hobart
New Zealand
Auckland
Christchurch
Dunedin
Hamilton
Wellington
4Details of the venues for the Divisional Written Examination will be emailed to candidates 4 weeks
prior to the exam date.
Fees
Amount
Australia A$1930.00
New Zealand NZ$2219.50
For more information about paying your RACP examination fees, please refer to the Terms and
Conditions of College fees.
5Applying for the exam
1. Eligibility
To be eligible to sit the Divisional Written Examination, you must:
• be registered with the College by the due date
• have a minimum of 24 months full-time equivalent (FTE) of certified Basic Training
by 31 January 2019 for Australia or 20 December 2018 for New Zealand.
• be in an accredited training position or an approved interruption of training
• have completed all Physician Readiness for Expert Practice (PREP) requirements
• comply with the limit on the number of examination attempts and other requirements
for progression through training, which are detailed in the RACP Progression
through Training Policy
• be fully current with all College training fees. Trainees with outstanding training fees
will not be eligible to sit the Divisional Written Examination unless they have made
an application in writing to the Honorary Treasurer requesting special consideration.
1.1 Examination attempts
Limits on the total training time allowed and the number of examination attempts are specified
by the Progression through Training Policy. The revised policy was implemented on 1 January
2017. Transition arrangements are in place that may be relevant to trainees sitting the
Divisional Written Examination in 2019. You can view your examination attempts to date on
the Basic Training Portal.
For more details, please see the Progression through Training Policy.
1.2 Notification to apply
Notifications to apply to sit the examination will be sent out via email in early November 2018.
These will be sent to all trainees who may be eligible for the examination. However, receipt
of a notification does not guarantee your eligibility.
If you are expecting to be eligible to sit in 2019 and have not received a notification by
1 November 2018, you should contact prep_bt@racp.edu as soon as possible. You should
ensure that the College has your current email address and that you have checked your
junk/spam email folder in case your notification is there.
Notifications to apply are sent as a courtesy to alert you that applications to sit the examination
are opening. You will not be granted an extension to apply if you fail to receive a notification
and do not contact the College in sufficient time to complete an application.
2. Application period
Applications must be submitted via the College’s online registration form. The form will be
accessible to all eligible trainees to register. If you believe you are eligible for the examination but
are unable to commence the registration process, you should contact prep_bt@racp.edu.au or
Basic.Training@racp.org.nz as soon as possible.
At the time of application, you will be able to select the city in which you wish to sit the examination.
You must also pay the examination fee to finalise your application.
You must contact examinations@racp.edu.au as soon as possible if you experience or anticipate
any difficulties with submitting your application. It will not be possible to assist you if you experience
technical or other issues and do not contact the College until after the application deadline.
Extensions to the application deadline will not be granted.
63. Application confirmation
You will receive an onscreen confirmation of the successful submission of your application at the
end of the process. After your payment has been processed, your receipt will be available by
logging in to my.racp.edu.au Within an hour of submitting the application, you also will receive a
confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email, then your application may not have
been submitted successfully and you must contact examinations@racp.edu.au immediately. You
also should make sure you have checked your junk/spam email folders in case your confirmation
email is there.
4. Submission of PREP tools
In order for your registration for the examination to be finalised, you must ensure that you submit
all PREP requirements by the due date of Thursday, 31 January 2019 for Australia or Thursday,
20 December 2018 for New Zealand. This includes the submission of your Annual Progress Report
(APR). If you do not complete all your PREP requirements satisfactorily, your training will not be
certified. This means that you will not be eligible for the examination and your application will be
withdrawn.
5. Final confirmation
Once your eligibility for the examination has been finalised, you will be sent an examination
allocation letter by email. This letter will confirm your registration for the examination and provide
details of your examination venue.
6. Withdrawal of application
If you wish to withdraw from the Divisional Written Examination, you must advise the College by
email to examinations@racp.edu.au. Withdrawals are not counted as examination attempts. You
may withdraw up until the commencement of the examination.
Refunds of application fees will be provided according to the following rules:
Date of withdrawal Refund
For withdrawal before 12pm AEDT/2pm NZDT on
26 November 2018 (close of applications) 100% of application fee
For withdrawal after 12pm AEDT/12pm NZDT on
26 November 2018 up until 5pm AEDT/5pm NZDT
on 30 January 2019
50% of application fee
31 January 2019 onwards No refund available
To request a refund outside of these rules on medical or compassionate grounds, you must submit
an application under the Special Consideration for Assessments Policy (see item 7 below).
If you withdraw from the Divisional Written Examination, you may re-apply to sit for the
examination the following year provided you meet the eligibility criteria as listed. Note that
application fees will not be rolled over from one year to another.
77. Special consideration
7.1. Grounds for special consideration
The College will take the following circumstances into consideration for the
Divisional Written Examination.
Circumstances occurring prior to the examination, which include:
• permanent and longstanding impairment
• temporary impairment – medical grounds
• non-medical compassionate grounds or serious disruption
• essential commitments (religious, cultural, societal or legal obligations).
Circumstances occurring after you have commenced the examination, which include:
• technical or other problems during the assessment.
The College will not adjust your examination mark or your examination result due to any of the
circumstances above.
7.2. How to apply for special consideration
1. Read the Special Consideration for Assessments Policy.
2. Confirm the grounds for your request and the outcome you are seeking.
3. Collect the appropriate supporting documentation for your category.
4. Submit you request in writing to: examinations@racp.edu.au.
Closing dates are listed in the ‘Important examination information’ section above in this
document.
8Examination format
8. Structure of the Divisional Written Examination
The Divisional Written Examination for both Adult Medicine and Paediatrics & Child Health is
made up of two papers:
• Clinical Applications – which examines your understanding of the practice of medicine and
therapeutics
• Medical Sciences – which examines your understanding of the principles of medicine and
the basic sciences applicable to clinical medicine.
Each paper consists of a combination of multiple choice questions (MCQs) and extended
matching questions (EMQs):
Paper Questions MCQs EMQs Time
Clinical Applications 100 92 8 3 hours
Medical Sciences 70 66 4 2 hours
Candidates are given five minutes of reading time at the beginning of each paper. They may
not write on or otherwise mark the question booklet or scoresheet during this time.
8.1. Visual material
There will be questions that require candidates to interpret visual material. Questions that
require interpretation of an image will be confined to:
• plain x-rays • radioisotope scans
• CT scans • respiratory function tests
• MRI scans • sleep study patterns
• ECGs
Other visual materials may be included in the Divisional Written Examination papers, but you
will not be required to interpret them to answer the question. Generally, they will be
accompanied by the type of report that you would be accustomed to receiving from the
laboratory.
These may include:
• blood films • electromyograms
• bone marrow films • electroencephalograms
• echocardiograms • histology sections
8.2. Multiple choice questions (MCQs)
The MCQs cover a range of subspecialties. All questions are in an ‘A-TYPE’ format (single
best alternative from the available options). Each question consists of four options. You should
choose only one option and then fill in the corresponding bubble on the answer sheet provided.
9Example of an MCQ:
In infectious mononucleosis, which one of the following cell types, in the peripheral blood, would be
most likely to contain the virus?
A. B cells.
B. Monocytes.
C. Neutrophils.
D. T cells.
Answer: B
8.3. Extended matching questions (EMQs)
A small number of EMQs will be included in the Divisional Written Examination. The format of
EMQs is different to single-best-answer MCQs. EMQs, which were developed in 1993,1 are a
form of MCQ used extensively in written assessments. EMQs have a similar reliability and
validity to traditional MCQs, but are more effective at assessing problem solving and clinical
reasoning.
The following example of an EMQ consists of:
1. an option list
2. a lead-in statement
3. two stems, or clinical scenarios.
For each stem/clinical scenario, you would choose the most appropriate option, which will be
listed from A to H on the answer sheet.
Example of an EMQ:
Options list
A. Ankylosing spondylitis.
B. Aortic dissection.
C. Prolapsed intervertebral disc.
D. Lumbar spondylosis.
E. Vertebral fracture.
F. Intervertebral disc infection.
G. Pars interarticularis defect.
H. Metastatic malignancy.
Lead-in statement
For each patient with back pain, select the most likely diagnosis.
Stems
1. A 23-year-old man has a 6-month history of low back pain. This is predominantly at
the thoracolumbar junction and in the right buttock. His pain is worse in the morning
and he has difficulty in getting out of bed. There is some improvement during the
day. Examination shows restriction of lumbar spinal movement, particularly lateral
flexion.
Answer: A
2. A 32-year-old woman presents with acute onset of low back pain. The pain is
constant and is not significantly affected by posture. All spinal movements are
painful and difficult. Three weeks earlier, she had a urinary tract infection, which had
been treated with amoxicillin.
Answer: F
1
Case SM, Swanson DB. Extended-matching items: a practical alternative to free-response questions. Teaching and Learning in
Medicine. 1993;5:107-115.
109. Examination resources
The Divisional Written Examination is blueprinted to the Basic Training and Professional Qualities
curricula. Please access this link to refer to the relevant curricula.
The new Knowledge Guides support trainees’ study and exam preparation by clearly, explicitly
and logically laying out what trainees are expected to understand and cover, and the standard
they are to achieve. These guides can also be used to support trainees’ learning and assessment.
10. Reading preparation
Candidates are expected to be familiar with the material in current textbooks, and with relevant
aspects of basic science, in their applicable division: Adult Medicine or Paediatrics & Child Health.
Knowledge of topics that are covered during in-service training programs and general coverage
of review articles, annotations and editorial comment in appropriate medical journals are an
essential part of preparation for the Divisional Written Examination. Texts on the major
subspecialties may be useful but are not essential.
Candidates are also expected to be familiar with diseases that are relevant to medical practice in
our region (South West Pacific region), and with advances in physiology and biochemistry that
are applicable to adult medicine/paediatrics.
11. Sample questions
The purpose of sample questions is to allow candidates to become familiar with the examination
format and style.
The 2018 Divisional Written Examination papers are available for reference on the RACP website
(for both Adult Medicine and Paediatrics & Child Health).
11Examination day
12. Examination day timetable
Candidates are advised to arrive at their allocated examination centres by 8.45am.
Time Task
8.45am Candidates enter examination area
9.15am Pre-examination announcements
9.25am Reading time commences
9.30am Clinical Applications paper commences
12.30pm Examination concludes
12.40pm–1.40pm LUNCH
1.40pm Candidates re-enter examination area
1.45pm Pre-examination announcements
1.55pm Reading time commences
2.00pm Medical Sciences paper commences
4.00pm Examination concludes
13. Items to bring to your examination
1. Your candidate allocation letter (hardcopy or email)
2. Current photographic identification that shows your full name and signature – for example,
passport or photo driver licence
3. Blue or black ballpoint pens (no pencils or gel or felt-tipped pens are allowed)
4. One (1) ruler
During the examination, all mobile phones/smart watches/pagers/electronic communication
devices are to be switched off, placed on the floor under your desk and visible to the invigilators at
the exam centre at all times. Any candidates found with their mobile phone/smart
watch/pager/electronic communication device on their person during the examination will be
automatically disqualified and immediately escorted out of the examination venue. Any phones or
pagers that sound during the examination will be subject to an incident report.
All watches are to be removed and placed on the floor under your desk.
14. Items not permitted in the examination area
• Written material (other than your candidate allocation letter)
• Calculators
• Food or beverages (other than water)
• All other belongings – for example, bags
12You may bring bottled water in a clear plastic bottle into the examination room. If you require other
beverages or food during the examination for medical reasons, you must submit an application for
special consideration by Monday, 4 February 2019. No other beverages or food will be allowed into
the examination room without pre-approval.
Please see item 7 above in these instructions for special consideration application procedures.
15. Seating arrangements
The examination seating is allocated. Seating lists showing candidate name and seat number will
be displayed near the entrance of the venue.
Any enquiries about seating on the examination day must be discussed with the Chief Invigilator
as soon as possible.
If you require specific seating arrangements during the examination for medical reasons, you must
submit an application for special consideration by Monday, 4 February 2019.
Please see item 7 above in these instructions for special consideration application procedures.
16. Completing the examination
16.1. Completing the question booklets and answer sheets
For each of the two examination papers, candidates will be provided with:
• a question booklet
• an answer sheet.
For each of the two papers, candidates must write their name, candidate number and
examination city on the question booklet and answer sheet. Candidate numbers are advised
in the examination allocation letter (sent via email), and also may be provided to candidates
by invigilators where needed. Candidates should ensure that they enter their candidate
number, not their MIN or table number, on the answer sheet and that they record the number
on both sides of the answer sheet.
Candidates must not open the question booklet or commence filling in their details until
instructed to do so by an invigilator.
The front cover of the question booklet contains a declaration that requires the candidate’s
agreement by signature.
All the content of these documents is confidential examination material and must not be
removed from the examination room. You are not permitted to reproduce or distribute the
contents of examination material at any time or in any way. Reproducing or distributing
examination material is a breach of the College’s Academic Integrity in Training Process.
Candidates must use only black or blue ballpoint pen to mark the question booklets and answer
sheets. To answer the questions, the candidate should fill in ONE bubble only for each question
on the answer sheet provided, and that bubble should correspond with the option that the
candidate considers to be the correct answer.
13To change an answer, put a cross through the incorrect answer and fill in the correct answer
(bubble). To reselect a previously crossed-through response, circle the answer to mark the
correct answer and ensure any incorrect answers are crossed through. Anything out of the
ordinary will be manually reviewed.
Candidates should ensure the chosen response is obvious. See the examples below.
16.2. Leaving the examination room
You must not leave the examination room without the approval of an invigilator. If you require
a toilet break, the invigilator will escort you to the facilities. If you wish to leave the examination
room before the end of the examination, please remain seated and raise your hand to alert an
invigilator who will then check your materials and release you.
When you have finished the examination, you may leave the examination room from
30 minutes and up until 10 minutes before the end of each examination paper. You must
ensure your question booklet and answer sheet are collected by an invigilator before leaving.
You are not permitted to leave the examination room during the last 10 minutes of each
examination paper.
On completion of each paper, the question booklet and answer sheet will be collected.
14After the examination
17. Marking
The Divisional Written Examination consists of a total of 170 questions. A correct answer
is worth one mark. Marks are not deducted for incorrect answers. The examination papers
are computer-marked. The pass mark is set each year using a combination of statistical
analysis approaches, including the modified Angoff process and Rasch equating. These
two processes ensure that the standard of the examination is valid and fair from year to
year.
Please access this link for more information regarding regarding this standard setting
process.
Twenty questions from recent Divisional Written Examinations will be re-used in the 2019
examination as ‘marker’ questions. These questions are used to compare the standard of
cohorts from one year to the next. The scores achieved on these questions will not count
towards the total marks of individual candidates.
18. Results
Results will be released on Thursday, 14 March 2019 from 3pm AEDT/3pm NZDT. You will
be notified of your examination outcome (i.e. successful/unsuccessful) via a personalised
email. Please ensure that the College has your current email and postal address.
If you do not receive your result, please call 1300 69 7227 or email
examinations@racp.edu.au.
You will receive a results feedback letter via email within four weeks of the results
notification email. This letter will include a feedback statement that gives:
• the pass mark for the 2019 examination
• your overall mark
• your mark for each paper.
In addition, the Directors of Physician (or Paediatric) Education (DPE) at each hospital
receive notifications listing candidates’ names and pass/fail status, and a report showing
aggregated performance of their hospital against national averages. No report is supplied
where there are insufficient candidate numbers at the hospital to provide de-identified
scores.
The College’s Reconsideration Review and Appeals Process does not apply to the
outcome or results of the assessment of the Divisional Written Examination and Divisional
Clinical Examination.
19. Divisional Clinical examination
Once you have satisfied the requirements of the Divisional Written Examination, you may
be eligible to apply for the Divisional Clinical Examination.
Information about applying for the Divisional Clinical Examination will be included in the
results notification email to successful candidates. Eligible candidates will be invited to
apply for the 2019 Divisional Clinical Examination via a separate email the day following
the 2019 Divisional Written Examination.
Please see the College website for examination and application dates.
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