The Skills Demonstration and Assessment Weekend (SDAW) is designed to assist registrars with learning and demonstrating competence in practical skills. The SDAW focuses on the skills that are critical, commonly done poorly, or for which it is difficult to get instruction.
Unless mandated in the case of slow progress or poor performance, attendance at the SDAW is optional. The Education Committee strongly recommend that registrars attend.
The SDAW takes place in the same venue the College normally uses for OSCEs (Manukau Superclinic, Auckland), so that registrars can become familiar with the OSCE environment. It normally takes place in August each year.
There are 16 stations, 8 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday. Attendees will be in groups of 5 or 6. The groups rotate around the stations, each lasting 45 minutes. At each station the instructor will demonstrate a skill (or skills) and then invite everyone to practise it. This is often on each other, or sometimes on a model or actor.
SDAW will give registrars the chance to:
- practise examinations in front of peers and Fellows
- practise examination and procedures on models simulating real pathology
- be observed and given immediate feedback to improve techniques
- be exposed to many of the skills for the OSCE, and where it will be held
- receive specialist tips and tricks for some skills.
The skills covered at the SDAW are a subset of the full Core Skills List. If there is time the instructor will assess registrars’ competence in practical skills, and if the standard is attained, may certify competence.
The handbook containing the skills to be demonstrated and assessed is available to download as a pdf. It is important that you bring your handbook to the SDAW event and retain it for completion and subsequent submission to the College.