Academic Year
There are 3 terms (Blocks) in year 2, each of 12-13 weeks duration, inclusive of study breaks (T2 and T3) and assessment. There are two vacation weeks the second of these is during trimester 3, in the week of the PNG Medical Symposium. There is a three-week elective (elective 2) at the end of the final assessment period; additional assessments are held during the third week if necessary.
Assessment
There is a formal, formative assessment in the last week of Block 1. Formative assessment provides an opportunity for the student to evaluate his/her progress, but the results do not determine final assessment decisions for the year. They are, however, taken into account for students who fail one or more of the subsequent, progressive assessments (term 2 and 3). Attendance at the formative assessment is mandatory and failure to attend, or to complete the written, group or oral assessments, is considered in the review of borderline results at final assessment. The term 1 assessment is not formative for repeat students and results determine progress.
Assessment at the end of Block 2 and Block 3 is progressive, contributing to the final summative assessment grade. Further formative assessment questions (Domain 2) are made available towards the end of these Blocks, for students’ use.
Students who are "not satisfactory" on the results of any assessment are required to participate in remedial activities with the appropriate discipline(s). Students who are "not satisfactory" following the final assessment are required to use elective 3 for remediation, prior to supplementary assessment. Additional assessments may not be offered to students with a record of consistent or substantial failure during the year.
There is a formative Group Task assessment (and own-learning viva) early in term 2. This provides an opportunity for any group which is "not satisfactory" to remedy any problems during term 2, prior to definitive assessment at the end of trimester 2. The Group task is an assessment of how the students work together in their problem-based learning groups; the own-learning viva provides an opportunity to research an issue arising from a clinical problem and report back on their learning. Clinical assessments are held during the second half of term 3.