Students’ perceptions of academic achievement, fairness, and satisfaction on practical examinations: A case study of a UK healthcare degree

Healthcare pre-registration programs must equip graduates with clinical and non-clinical skills, knowledge and behaviours required for successful transition into the profession (Chesterton et al., 2023a). A practically based curricula with contemporary assessment methods are an integral aspect of evaluating students’ knowledge and readiness for practice (BASRAT, 2018).To facilitate this Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are tasked with implementing authentic methods of assessment which has resulted in increased prevalence of practical examinations (Elkington et al., 2022). Assessment as a process for determining competence in clinical practice is one of the underpinning principles of establishing and measuring student progress (Wallace, 2003). Authentic practical examinations are widely utilized to ascertain the proficiency of students to deliver clinical skills integral to graduate employment (Robbins & Hoke, 2008). For healthcare courses including Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation, a degree aimed at the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, such authentic examinations form a critical component of assessing student’s clinical capabilities whilst demonstrating professional requirements (BASRAT, 2018).