The following content, including all additional information pages, is provided in English for informational purposes only. The legally binding version is the German text.
UCAN - Medical Assessment Consortium
In 2018, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bonn entered into a partnership with UCAN. The goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality of internal faculty examinations (multiple-choice exams, clinical-practical OSCEs, oral exams, etc.) and to support the long-term development of the faculty's assessment system.
What is UCAN?
UCAN (Umbrella Consortium for Assessment Networks) is a non-profit organization that serves as an umbrella association for various assessment networks and examination consortia. UCAN partners collaborate within subject-specific networks, such as the Medical Assessment Consortium or those organized by professional societies. Together, they promote inter-institutional exchange through networking, consulting, conferences, and a variety of research projects.
UCAN Medical Assessment Consortium
The Medical Assessment Consortium is a non-profit assessment network within UCAN. It was founded in 2005 by the medical faculties of Heidelberg, Berlin, and LMU Munich. UCAN as an organization emerged from this consortium. With over 50 partners, the Medical Assessment Consortium is the largest assessment network within UCAN.
UCAN at the Medical Faculty Bonn
Since 2018, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bonn has been a member of the "Umbrella Consortium for Assessment Networks" (UCAN) and utilizes the integrated Item Management System (IMS) to enhance the quality of internal faculty examinations (multiple-choice exams, clinical-practical OSCEs, oral exams, etc.) and to further develop the assessment system in the long term.
The collaboration with UCAN facilitates the exchange and pooling of knowledge and resources for performance measurement and evaluation, as well as the development, evaluation, and quality assurance of innovative examination formats. The overarching goal is to improve medical education through high-quality assessments.
To this end, the sharing of examination content and concepts takes place on the jointly used platform, the Item Management System (IMS). In addition to implementing new item types, UCAN’s software tools support the efficient design, administration, analysis, and quality assurance of examinations.
Die Zukunft der Prüfungen: OSCE. Digitalisiert und standardisiert.
Bild © Universität Bonn / YouTube
(Video in German)
The Item Management System
The Item Management System (IMS) is an online database for exam questions (e.g., test questions, OSCE stations, or tasks for oral exams) developed by UCAN. Exam questions can be easily entered and exams created via a web browser. As part of modern quality assurance and workflow optimization, the questions stored in the shared database are evaluated through a dedicated review system as well as statistical analyses.
When creating a user account in the IMS, please note the following information regarding data collection and processing.
Trainings
The IMS is designed to be user-friendly. Basic knowledge of common computer programs is sufficient to get started easily. We offer individual training sessions to introduce users to the system. Participation is recommended for all teaching staff and employees involved in creating exams.
For the current training dates, please contact Miriam Rimböck by email.
105
UCAN partners worldwide
1.187.800
Stored items
154.700
Shared questions
What is the progress test?
The Progress Test is an annual assessment that gives students the opportunity to monitor their knowledge growth throughout their studies. It covers topics from all stages of the curriculum and is not graded. Through detailed, personalized feedback, the test helps students identify their current academic standing, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement. Participants who take part over multiple years receive an overview of their development over time.
What makes the student-centered, competence-based Progress Test unique is that it was developed by students for students as part of a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Unlike traditional assessments that focus on factual knowledge, this test is designed to reflect key areas of medical competence within its questions. These include: communicative competence, clinical-practical skills, scientific competence, professional medical action competence, and clinical-theoretical knowledge. The structure and content of the test are based on the National Competence-Based Learning Objectives Catalogue for Medicine (NKLM).
Studentischer kompetenzorientierter Progresstest
Bild © Kompetenzzentrum Prüfungen / YouTube
Video in German
Contact
Consultation hours by appointment
How to find us
Studiendekanat der Medizinischen Fakulatät
Venusberg-Campus 1, Gebäude 33, 53127 Bonn
