Pearson VUE sign contract with Royal Colleges of Physicians
Pearson VUE sign a new contract with the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK to deliver their new specialty Knowledge Based Assessments exclusively through the international Pearson VUE network.
Pearson VUE sign contract with Royal Colleges of Physicians (09/04/2008)
Pearson VUE signs new contract with the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK to deliver their new Specialty Knowledge Based Assessments exclusively through the international Pearson VUE network.
The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK has signed a contract with Pearson VUE to deliver new Specialty Knowledge Based Assessments (KBAs) in 13 subjects with a phased rollout commencing immediately. These are: Acute Medicine; Cardiology; Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics; Dermatology; Endocrinology and Diabetes; Gastroenterology; Geriatric Medicine; Infectious Diseases; Medical Oncology; Neurology; Renal Medicine; Respiratory Medicine; and Rheumatology.
Pearson VUE has won a three-year contract to deliver the Federation's new Specialty KBAs as computer-based tests (CBT). These will be delivered throughout the UK, as well as overseas in centres such as Dubai, Egypt, Hong Kong and Singapore. The number of KBAs and coverage will increase over time.
Each KBA will be available once a year on a single announced date. Given that the assessment is available on a single day, the start times are staggered internationally to ensure security and minimise the possibility and potential for cheating.
These assessments have been introduced in response to the international recognition for a KBA that ensures that a doctor has sufficient knowledge of their specialty to practice as a consultant safely and competently. These new assessments will be a compulsory component of assessment for the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) for all UK trainees whose specialist training began in or after August 2007.
These will be the first CBTs given by the Federation. All other tests are currently paper-based.
Helena Sturridge, Chief Operating Officer at the Royal College of Physicians of London, said: “The deciding factors for us choosing Pearson VUE to deliver the Specialty KBAs were clear. It has an extensive and established network of centres both in the UK and globally, which allows us to offer our candidates flexibility of choice when selecting venues. They already have experience of delivering CBT in the medical sector internationally.”
Pearson VUE leads the way in helping organisations develop and deliver their tests on a computer, delivering some 4 million high-stakes tests worldwide each year.
Paul Howarth, Managing Director at Pearson VUE, commented. "We are proud to be able to say that this is the third Royal College to choose Pearson VUE and offer their postgraduate students computer-based tests. There is a definite trend within the medical world to see CBT play a greater role in international medical licensure testing and the UK has now started to follow that trend. We are very excited to be working in partnership with the colleges as they move forward to 2010".
For further information about the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK visit www.mrcpuk.org or contact: MRCP(UK) KBA Office, 11 St Andrews Place, London NW1 4LE, Tel: +44 (0)20 7935 1174, Fax: +44 (0)20 7486 8401, kba.queries@mrcpuk.org
For further information about Pearson VUE visit www.pearsonvue.co.uk/home or contact: Karen Schwartz + 44 (0) 207 190 4047
Notes to Editors
About Pearson VUE
Pearson VUE is the one of the world's leading assessment and testing businesses. It delivers tests through a network of 150 Pearson Professional Centres in the UK and over 4,000 test centres worldwide. Pearson VUE has helped educators, professional bodies, awarding bodies and private enterprises define their assessment needs and design, write and publish computer-based tests. In addition, Pearson VUE offers a choice of test registration and online reports to help evaluate, assess and continually improve assessment programmes.
About the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians.
The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK comprises the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and the Royal College of Physicians of London. The Federation plays a pivotal role in setting the standards and, through a variety of activities, influences the quality of medical practice in hospitals. It conducts examinations, carries out training, education and research activities and advises the Government and the profession on health and medical matters.