The UKFPO exam in December was being sat by students across the country using the Pearson Vue system – a secure online testing programme. 

The complaints include one student who claims they were disqualified for going to the toilet, despite trying to contact the exam invigilator multiple times without hearing back. While other students claim they were forced to ‘urinate’ in their seats in order to avoid being disqualified. 

On behalf of the DAUK, Medical Student Representatives Freya Rhodes and Anna Sigston have written a letter to the UKFPO and Pearson Vue outlining the concerns of many students, asking for both organisations to respond to the complaints. 

Dr Mike Masding, Co-Chair UKFPO & Lead HEE Foundation School Director responded that: ‘Out of 8000 UKFPO applicants a small number (less than 0.25% of the Cohort) were disqualified by the testing invigilator for prohibited actions. 

‘We are working with individual applicants whose tests were discontinued and where appropriate will offer the option to re-book. 

Read the full article here.

“Less than an hour before it emerged that some students would be able to resit their SJT, the Doctor’s Association UK (DAUK) released an open letter urging the UKFPO to urgently address how grades would be allocated for students who had been interrupted and to arrange resits where necessary.

Anna Sigston, who sits on the DAUK medical student committee told HuffPost UK: “We have received concerns from a number of students whose SJT exam’s were cut short due to technical difficulties and unclear guidance. Ultimately the communication from the UKFPO to these students was poor at best.

“Graduating medical school is a stressful time, especially during a global pandemic, let alone when a major exam was cut short due to errors with the system. The delayed and dismissive communication from the UKFPO has only made this experience more taxing, negatively impacting many student’s mental health.

“Not only this, but we believe it will negatively impact students applications for an error that was not their fault. Pearson VUE and the UKFPO should take responsibility for their technical faults and unclear guidance, rather than punishing students for their failures.”

Read the full article here: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/nhs-u-turn-final-year-exam-students-inhumane_uk_600ac50cc5b6d64153ab15ca?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGlua2VkaW4uY29tL2NvbXBhbnkvdGhlZG9jdG9yc2Fzc29jaWF0aW9udWsvcG9zdHMvP2ZlZWRWaWV3PWFsbA&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABltF_lIcEmfG0w2GXjRzpbscRnUHP_Z6_MFyn9GiE-BCJpwRl_jE0vZgUY2c92wIGdVziqoF9niDApaeeeOTpAvPRH5EWfkMXVoipSlN_ZD6uROLY9ShiVnV4dQj68N_X_Gwaod0qfkr5ykIpb34aLxaKO7B9pAXcKZKBb7kSFM