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HESA Collections

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Introduction

Version 1.0 Produced 2022-05-26

Context

This record is to provide the GMC with undergraduate assessment data for all summative assessments that lead to a primary medical qualification. The data will be used by the GMC to carry out its statutory functions under the Medical Act 1983. These include a general function of promoting standards of medical education and co-ordinating all stages of medical education, which is set out in section 5 of the Act:

  • Inclusion of undergraduate assessment data has been a long-term objective of the UK Medical Education Database (UKMED) since its inception, as we would like researchers to be able to explore the relationship between undergraduate performance and performance at postgraduate level in detail.
  • Medical Royal Colleges currently provide equivalent postgraduate examination data to UKMED, and researchers have already demonstrated the utility of these data. This data collection will allow UKMED to hold equivalent data for undergraduates.
  • Collection of a UK-wide dataset will allow national level analysis of differential attainment in undergraduate assessment. Central analysis will be more efficient and informative than conducting individual analyses at school level.
  • In the long term, these assessment data will help both the GMC and medical schools evaluate the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA).

This will be done through a spreadsheet return. For the 2021/22 return HESA will continue with providers submitting data using their existing spreadsheets, but in 2022/23 HESA will move to spreadsheet return using a standardised template. For more information on the timeline of changes to the GMC Assessment return, please see FAQs page.

Data collected

The GMC Assessment record collects individualised data about students' assessments that took place during the reporting period. All of these students are expected to be returned in the Student record for that same year. Data are collected on assessments, the relevant passmarks and students taking those assessments. The detail of the different items collected can be found in the Data Items document located on the coding manual landing page.

Data collection

All HESA records are collected on the basis of the HESA reporting period that determines the time period to which the data being returned relates. This ensures consistency across the data streams collected. The reporting period is from 01 August year 1 to 31 July year 2, for example, the 2021/2022 GMC Assessment record will be collected in respect of the activity which takes place between 01 August 2021 and 31 July 2022. If the assessment occurred within this period all data relating to it, including any subsequent appeal and any resits that take place outside the reporting period, should be included in this year's return.

GMC Contacts

If you have any queries in relation to the data collection process, please contact the GMC by email at [email protected]

Your contacts at the GMC regarding the exam data collection are:

  • Christian Woodward
  • Daniel Smith

If you have any queries relating to the Data Collection System, please contact HESA at [email protected].

Need help?

Contact Liaison by email or on +44 (0)1242 388 531.