Assessment Practices in Continuing Professional Development Activities in Health Professions: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Context: In continuing professional development (CPD), educators face the need to develop and implement innovative assessment strategies to adhere to accreditation standards and support lifelong learning. However, little is known about the development and validation of these assessment practices. We aimed to document the breadth and depth of what is known about the development and implementation of assessment practices within CPD activities. Methods: We conducted a scoping review using the framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and updated in 2020. We examined five databases and identified 1733 abstracts. Two team members screened titles and abstracts for inclusion/exclusion. After data extraction, we conducted a descriptive analysis of quantitative data and a thematic analysis of qualitative data. Results: A total of 130 studies were retained for the full review. Most reported assessments are written assessments (n = 100), such as multiple-choice items (n = 79). In 99 studies, authors developed an assessment for research purpose rather than for the CPD activity itself. The assessment validation process was detailed in 105 articles. In most cases, the authors examined the content with experts (n = 57) or pilot-tested the assessment (n = 50). We identified three themes: 1-satisfaction with assessment choices; 2-difficulties experienced during the administration of the assessment; and 3-complexity of the validation process. Conclusion: Building on the adage “assessment drives learning,” it is imperative that the CPD practices contribute to the intended learning and limit the unintended negative consequences of assessment. Our results suggest that validation processes must be considered and adapted within CPD contexts.