Assessment centres for core medical training: how do the assessors feel this compares with the traditional interview?

In 2007, an assessment centre approach (a structured interview, a case-based discussion and a communication exercise) was implemented to replace the traditional interview for entry to core medical training. Feedback was obtained from 53 of 69 assessors, all consultants and most with extensive experience of the traditional system. Each station was rated by around 20 interviewers. This overwhelmingly rated the new process as useful in assessing the candidate (>90% for all stations). Comparison with the previous system was only provided by between 12 and 21 people per station. The structured interview was rated better (n=12), undecided (8), or worse (1); the case-based discussion better (16), or undecided (3); the communication station better (8), undecided (3), or worse (1). There is still work to do on the best components to include but the principle of multiple assessments to examine differing parts of the person specification seems, subjectively, to be supported.