Interim Membership by Assessment of
Performance (iMAP)
iMAP Message from Vice-chair
Follow the link below to view a short video
message about undertaking iMAP from the vice-chair of iMAP, Dr Alex
Watson.
Link to iMAP
Video (48 seconds)
* UPDATE * Example Portfolio
Criteria
In response to candidate feedback iMAP has
collated and made available examples of work submitted as part of
the iMAP assessment. Some of the examples have been taken
from satisfactory work whilst others from work that failed to meet
the required standard.
This should help current candidates gauge the
standard of work that is required and enable them to produce
written work that has a better chance of passing at the first
submission.
Please
follow this link to view the Example Portfolio
* UPDATE * iMAP Eligibility
The College is pleased to announce a change in
the eligibility criterion to undertake iMAP. The current regulation
requiring five years of eligibility for independent practice (i.e.
years post CCT or equivalent) has been reduced to two years.
Those candidates who were not eligible
previously as a result of the five year rule are invited to visit
the iMAP webpage to review the new criteria. Please read the iMAP
Candidate Regulations to view the FULL list of eligibility
requirements. Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply soon.
The iMAP programme will only be available
until 31st July 2009, after which applications and
portfolios will not be accepted.
Please be advised that this criterion is not
likely to be revised further. Those who do not meet the new
criteria should note that a new programme is currently being
considered by the College; details of which will be made available
later this year.
Registration of Interest (Please note this is NOT a formal
application)
If you are interested in undertaking the iMAP
programme but are not currently in a position to apply please use
the Registration of Interest form to submit your details so that
the iMAP Team can keep you updated on any new developments.
Please click here to download the
Registration
of Interest form
Applications and Further Information
The RCGP is delighted to announce that
Interim Membership by Assessment of Performance (iMAP) is open to
applications. iMAP is an interim route to membership for
established GPs who are registered with the GMC without
restrictions, on the GP register and on a Performers list of a PCO.
Furthermore, candidates must have been eligible for independent
practice (normally) in the UK or the HM armed forces for at
least two years immediately preceding their application.
You may view or
download the documents for iMAP by clicking on the relevant link on
the menu on the left hand side.
For your information, the iMAP programme will
only be available for a limited period from September 2007 to July
2009.
SUMMARY OF IMAP CRITERIA
Please follow this link to view iMAP
criteria
BACKGROUND TO IMAP
Interim Membership by
Assessment of performance (iMAP) provides an opportunity for
established GPs to become members of the Royal College of General
Practitioners (RCGP). Unlike other branches of the medical
profession membership of the RCGP has not been a prerequisite to
work as a general practitioner in the UK.
iMAP is designed to evaluate
the performance of individual GPs and is therefore more accessible
to GPs with a wide variety of work patterns.
iMAP is easily attainable
for any GP providing a good standard of care to their patients.
Many GPs will already be doing what is required by iMAP and will
simply need to document this information in the format required.
However, some aspects of iMAP such as an audit might need to be
carried out specifically for iMAP. The iMAP pilot showed that most
GPs could complete the iMAP portfolio within a 3 to 6 month period
of fairly concentrated work.
THE STRUCTURE OF iMAP
Portfolio Assessment
The iMAP portfolio is a Word
document that candidates will be able to download from the RCGP
website when iMAP goes live. On completion, the Word document is
submitted electronically to the iMAP office. The portfolio is then
independently assessed by two iMAP assessors, who will produce a
single summary report that is sent to the candidate as feedback. If
the portfolio is of a satisfactory standard candidates will be
invited to an oral assessment. If the portfolio requires further
work, the assessors will request a re-submission, highlighting the
areas requiring further clarification by the candidate.
Oral Assessment
Following the submission of
a successful portfolio, candidates will be invited to participate
in an oral assessment. The oral assessment will be in three parts
and will last for a total of 90 minutes. Part of the oral will be
based on the portfolio work the candidate has submitted and part on
the broader issues relating to the portfolio. The oral assessments
will take place at various times of the year in a central location.
Candidates will only be permitted one attempt of the oral
assessment.
THE WORK FOR IMAP
The iMAP portfolio should be
straight forward to complete. In essence candidates are asked to
document what they did and then explain why they did it.
Documenting ‘what was done’ is
clearly defined in the guidelines and the ‘what the criterion will
be assessed on’ paragraph of the Handbook. Proformas have been
included to help candidates document all the required information.
If a candidate has not supplied sufficient information or if
something is ambiguous the portfolio will be sent back for
resubmission.
Justifying ‘why something was done’
is included in the reflective parts of the proformas but the main
assessment of candidate’s justification for a particular action is
at the oral assessment. Sometimes the justification of what was
done was because the candidate followed an evidence base practice,
local or national guideline. Occasionally candidates will have
varied the suggested management plan of a guideline to meet the
needs of a particular patient. Candidates will need to be aware
that they have done this and provide sufficient evidence as to why.
Sometimes (quite frequently!) there are no right or wrong answers
but a decision will need to have been made. Candidates should be
able to describe the guiding framework they used to make this
decision. The oral assessment will also explore the broader issues
relating to the portfolio which will allow the candidate to
demonstrate a deeper understanding of the issues involved.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the iMAP
programme candidates
- Must be registered on a Performers
List and registered with the GMC
- Must have been eligible for
independent practice in the UK or the HM armed forces for at
least two years preceding their application
- Must have no outstanding
complaints or clinical governance issues.
Candidates must declare any
complaints, GMC investigations or clinical governance issues at the
time of their application and immediately during their assessment.
Although in these cases candidates can proceed with preparing their
portfolio, all outstanding issues must be addressed on an
individual basis before candidates can proceed with the oral
assessment.
If you are in doubt about your
eligibility, please contact the iMAP Administrator at the RCGP
imap@rcgp.org.uk
iMAP AND APPRAISAL
Work from the iMAP portfolio should
easily lend itself for inclusion in a GP’s annual appraisal
portfolio. Indeed, many GPs might wish to use iMAP as the basis for
their appraisal. If after discussion with their appraiser it is
felt the iMAP portfolio is of a suitable standard, the iMAP
portfolio could be submitted for assessment. However, the candidate
must ensure that the evidence provided in the iMAP portfolio is no
more than a year old on the date of submission.
CANDIDATES STUDY DAYS
Please
follow this link for information on study days