Entrustment and consensus assessment approaches in the evaluation of physiotherapy student competence
Date
2025
Authors
Maddern, A.
Thompson, J.
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Conference paper
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Proceedings of the Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators ( ANZAHPE 2025), 2025
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Amanda Maddern and James Thompson
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Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators ( ANZAHPE) (30 Jun 2025 - 3 Jul 2025 : Perth, Western Australia)
Abstract
Background The Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) tool is the standard instrument for evaluating Australian undergraduate physiotherapy students’ clinical competence during placements. It comprises 20 items scored on a 0-4 scale. While effective for assessing short-term performance, alternative methods like entrustment scales and consensus assessments prioritize lifelong learning. Entrustment scales measure clinical competence by evaluating the degree of "trust" a tutor places in a student, reflecting real-world professional expectations. Consensus assessments enable students to self-evaluate their performance and align their judgments with examiners. Together, these approaches foster critical thinking and support long-term professional development. This cross-sectional study evaluated a hybrid assessment approach combining entrustment and consensus assessments, which are validated for supporting learning and reliably measuring clinical readiness, alongside the APP tool. Method: A total of 66 third-year undergraduate students participated in a 5-week high-fidelity simulated placement at The University of Adelaide. Students were introduced to a hybrid entrustment-consensus assessment alongside the APP tool, which was retained for benchmarking. Preparatory training and case scenarios were consistent with prior cohorts. Results: Initial APP results for the 2024 cohort were lower (mean 61%) than for the 2023 cohort (mean 64%). However, final APP scores showed a 32% increase for the 2024 cohort (mean 68% vs. 50% in 2023). The number of students failing the final assessment also decreased in the entrustment-consensus group. Additionally, student-generated consensus scores demonstrated a 10% improvement in calibration accuracy between test intervals. Conclusion: The hybrid assessment approach enhanced students’ self-reflection and critical evaluation skills, contributing to significant test score improvements. Entrustment and consensus assessments complement traditional tools, fostering authentic learning and better preparing students for clinical practice.
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