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Assessing Progress, Shaping Futures: A Qualitative Exploration of Final-Year Medical Students’ Perspectives on the Clinical Assessment for Progression Examination (Clinical APEx): A Novel Competency-Based Exam

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (SPHPM), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

2 Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (MNHS), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

10.30476/jamp.2026.109580.2311

Abstract

Introduction: Traditional OSCEs, while reliable, are criticized for limited authenticity, delayed feedback, and high stress. The Clinical Assessment for Progression Examination (Clinical APEx), a new competency-based assessment at Monash, was developed to address these issues.
Methods: We conducted an interpretivist qualitative interview study with 33 final-year medical students who completed both the Clinical APEx and OSCE, recruited via post-assessment survey and site-wide invitations. Semi-structured Zoom interviews were analysed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis.
Results: Analysis revealed four key themes: Authenticity and Empathy, Feedback and Learning, Supportive Environment, and Challenges, which included concerns about standardisation, subjectivity, and under-assessment of clinical reasoning.
Conclusion: Beyond describing a local innovation, this study highlights broader mechanisms of educational impact, particularly authenticity, feedback, and psychological safety, that can inform assessment design across contexts. The Clinical APEx serves as a case example for reimagining high-stakes assessment as assessment for learning rather than solely of learning. These findings provides conceptual insights as to how clinical assessments might be made both rigorous and developmentally meaningful.

Highlights

HOSSAIN MD NASSIF

Keywords

References
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Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism
Volume 14, Issue 3
July 2026
Pages 238-248
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