Reasonable Adjustments Policy

Good practice in the support of candidates with SpLDs such as dyslexia is applied in offering a provision of extra time for written examinations, although this should be raised as a recommendation in the assessor’s report to be used as a starting point for reasonable adjustment considerations.

Extra time accommodations for candidates with SpLDs will also be considered for other exam components where the reading and/or processing of information is required. Additionally, such candidates may have different or further requirements, such as the use of particular fonts, overlays or exam questions printed on coloured paper. Where this is the case, different and/or additional reasonable adjustments will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Where the College has no precedent for a complex reasonable adjustment for a particular disability or special need or where the adjustment requested is more significant than any previous adjustment permitted, then the case may be referred to the Examinations Committee or specialist advice sought from, for example, the representative at the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.

If the examination date is before the next meeting of the committee, then the request will be forwarded for their consideration by confidential email, to the Chair of the Examinations Committee, the Director of Education, Training and Examinations, and at least three members of the committee, which will include the chair/deputy chair of the relevant examination and the lay committee representative. The Head of Examinations will coordinate and compile the response and keep the candidate advised throughout the process.

The OSCE and SOE are regarded as competence tests, assessing understanding, clinical reasoning, clinical application of knowledge and professional behaviours. As such the method of assessment is a crucial element of these examination components and any adjustments made must maintain the integrity and validity of these assessments and not affect the format of the examinations. The standard of the competence level of the examination cannot be altered.

GMC guidance indicates that while there is a duty to make a reasonable adjustment, in enabling the competency standards in Tomorrow’s Doctors to be met, there is no requirement to make adjustments that would alter the standard of competency required.