As part of their clinical training, students are required to complete mandatory workplace-based assessments [1]. Mobile learning devices (iPads) are provided for clinical students (years 3-5) by Manchester Medical School (MMS) [2]. We wanted to replace the existing paper-based collection of workplace-based assessment data with an electronic system to make these assessments easier to manage at the bedside [3].

We reviewed 6 commercially available electronic form systems against a specification developed for MMS [3]. A trial of one of these found it to be unfit for purpose, while annual licensing costs prevented other potential commercial options from being explored [3]. To address our requirements, a purpose-built electronic forms system was produced: ‘University of Manchester eForms’ [3].

​University of Manchester eForms permits students to complete their assessments and have them signed off by an assessor, who is guided through the assessment process, through their mobile device. This may be ‘at the bedside’, in a skills lab, or wherever the assessment is taking place. Following a pilot introduction and evaluation, eForms has now replaced the previously paper-based, and thereby slower, administration of these assessments [3, 4].  

Exerts from example eForms are shown in the figures below.

The adoption of mobile technologies presents the opportunity to utilise these devices to improve on the existing administrative systems for compulsory clinical assessments. We have introduced a flexible, usable and affordable software solution that has streamlined the workplace-based assessment process for our clinical student community [3, 4].

University of Manchester eForms can be used to efficiently facilitate workplace-based assessments within the clinical environment. 

The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the following MMS colleagues: Tim Cappelli, Project Manager; Colin Lumsden, Academic lead for e-learning; Rob Cutforth, Learning Technologist & Simon Hardaker, Learning Technologist.

[1.] General Medical Council. (2009). Tomorrow’s Doctors. http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/undergraduate/tomorrows_doctors_2009.asp Retrieved 24/02/2014.

[2.] Mooney, J., Byrne-Davis, L., Cappelli, T., Dexter, H., Taylor, M., Moffatt, L. & Lumsden, C. (2014). Implementing mobile learning with iPads in Higher Education: A large scale case study. Published by UCISA. http://www.ucisa.ac.uk/publications/effective_use.aspx

[3.] Mooney, J.S., Cappelli, T., Byrne-Davis, L. & Lumsden, C.J. (2014). How we developed eForms: An electronic form and data capture tool to support assessment in mobile medical education. Medical Teacher. [Published online May 2014]. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/0142159X.2014.907490

[4.] University of Manchester eForms website: http://blogs.mcrmed.manchester.ac.uk/eforms/

For a demo: 

Using the eForms app - Part 2: An M-Series UPSA form from Manchester Medical School on Vimeo.