title: Examining the orthopaedic examiners: reliability of the Part 2 Orthopaedic Clinical Fellowship Examination in Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Final Examination for Orthopaedic Surgeons in Australia comprises seven components of which two are written responses and five are oral examinations involving separate pairs of examiners.
  
  
  METHODS
  The reliability of the examination process and close marking system was assessed by using a standardized DVD of a sham examination. Fifteen current examiners viewed the DVD and scored the viewed examination independently.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated consistency in scoring and reliability. This validation is likely to be further increased by the current system of the pairing of examiners. Additionally, the patient-based examination segments were found to be as reliably scored as the criterion-referenced computer-based examination stations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Candidates for the Fellowship Examination should be reassured that this study has shown that the examination process has inter-examiner reliability and consistency.
authors.affiliation: Specialty Court of Orthopaedic Surgery, Court of Examiners, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Australia. p.cundy@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cundy
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D015588:Observer Variation; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000193:education*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014742:Videodisc Recording