Tech disaster for trainee psychiatrists

For 43 minutes, Dr Marie Bismark tried in vain to start her final exam to become a psychiatrist before official word came through that her college’s online system had failed spectacularly.

Now trainees say they’re losing confidence in leaders, as this latest cohort of would-be psychiatrists attempting to qualify through the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists remains in limbo, more than 10 days on.

‘‘These exams are enormous,’’ Bismark said. ‘‘People plan pregnancies, weddings ... you organise your life around the exam date because it’s such a big hurdle.’’

On November 20, a total of 248 trainees – including 24 in New Zealand – were poised to sit the exam online with a new remote system. For many, it was the last hurdle to qualifying.

Bismark said the technology was tested in the days before the exam and ‘‘repeatedly failed’’. But concerns were dismissed, she said.

It’s understood some New Zealand trainees had faced up to three assessment or exam cancellations due to the pandemic.

The college was working on an ‘‘alternative assessment process’’ which would look at other experience and training till now, president and Associate Professor Vinay Lakra said.

‘‘And if they need to do further assessments that can be done at their workplace and at a standard that’s applicable to them,‘‘ he said.

Lakra admitted the College had let trainees down.

Medical Council of New Zealand chair Dr Curtis Walker said the College had been asked to address the technology failure and what it intended to do for future exams. ‘‘We understand that the College intends to commission an external review, which will provide an independent analysis and view of lessons to be learnt,’’ Walker said.