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4 NEWS
8 NOVEMBER 2024 ausdoc . com . au
Handwriting fatigue triggers KFP change
GP hit by rebate rules
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The RACGP says the exam will change to a fully multiplechoice format following registrar feedback .
Ciara Seccombe THE RACGP will remove short-answer questions from its Key Feature Problem fellowship exam after registrars criticised the perceived demands of having to handwrite full-sentence responses .
The updated Key Feature Problem ( KFP ) exam , starting in July next year , will involve 70 medical scenarios , with one multiplechoice question per scenario .
Currently , it involves 26 scenarios with 3-4 questions about each — a mix of handwritten short responses and multiplechoice questions .
But registrar feedback has prompted change .
“ They had become fatigued from handwriting , and the prospect of having to write by hand also caused anxiety for some
It will help ‘ the problematic issues with handwritten responses ’ for those of non- English- and English-speaking backgrounds .
candidates ,” said RACGP censor-in-chief Dr Tess van Duuren .
She said registrars worried about the college marking them down for spelling or grammatical errors even though that was not the case .
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General Practice Registrars Australia ( GPRA ) supported the change , especially as it would help the college to mark the exams faster .
Some candidates had to start enrolment for the Clinical Competency Exam ( CCE ) before learning whether they had even passed the KFP , said GPRA president Dr Karyn Matterson .
Ditching short-answer responses would also help “ the problematic issues with handwritten responses for both registrars of non-English- and English-speaking backgrounds ”, she said .
However , she said GPRA still wanted the
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Dr Tess van Duuren .
high-stakes KFP axed “ in preference for a more workplace-based approach ”.
The last KFP had a pass rate of 68 %, compared with 82 % for the last Applied Knowledge Test and 89 % for the last CCE .
Doctors alleged troubles with poor handwriting are familiar , but it is not just younger doctors pushing back against the handwritten exam format .
Earlier this year , high school students reported physical difficulty with the extended response sections of their end-ofyear exams , while one Sydney high school started offering remedial handwriting classes to its students .
PAGE 1 minutes away from where I am , so he cannot get to me ,” Dr Rutten said .
With the patient unable to afford longer phone consultations with her , “ the therapeutic connection will be lost ”.
Writing about the patient ’ s situation on social media last month , Dr Rutten said : “ GPs who have special interests are being punished for meeting community need .”
The government has confirmed that , for patients registered with MyMedicare , rebates for mental health care plans will only be available at their registered GP practice from November 2025 .
A similar restriction would apply to chronic disease care plans under the government ’ s planned overhaul .
“ There are only a few item numbers linked to MyMedicare now , but the government is planning to link more , so this is significant ,” Dr Rutten said .
Dr Naomi Rutten .
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