2. The story starts … My office 19th June 2003 Since then … 22 Hong Kong Candidates - around 66 submissions

3. Outline of Session Passing Part Two - The Exam Competencies Passing Part Two - The Exam Competencies Top Tips for Passing the Written Papers Top Tips for Passing the Written Papers An Interlude - Some Pictures An Interlude - Some Pictures The General Oral The General Oral Top Tips for passing the General Oral Top Tips for passing the General Oral Some thoughts about the HK Exam Some thoughts about the HK Exam

4. Passing Part Two (The Official Bit)

5. Examination Competencies Critical Literature Review Critical Literature Review Needs Assessment Needs Assessment Information for Planning Information for Planning Evaluation Evaluation (This only represents a part of the required public health competencies)

6. Standards “that which could be reasonably expected of a competent specialist in public health” “that which could be reasonably expected of a competent specialist in public health” “submissions are expected to demonstrate appropriate levels of academic competence as well as pragmatism within service situations” “submissions are expected to demonstrate appropriate levels of academic competence as well as pragmatism within service situations”

7. 1. Critical Literature Review “To assemble, review critically and interpret the critical literature (and where appropriate, other sources) on a particular topic”

8. Clear Objective Clear Objective Search Strategy Search Strategy Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Flow Diagram of Findings Flow Diagram of Findings Table / Summary of Results Table / Summary of Results Framework for appraisal Framework for appraisal Link to Problem Link to Problem Faculty Advice

9. Personal Advice Follow the recipe and you can’t fail! Follow the recipe and you can’t fail! Detail your search strategy + flow chart Detail your search strategy + flow chart More than Medline More than Medline Other databases Other databases Citations; grey literature; contacts Citations; grey literature; contacts Consider non-RCTs Consider non-RCTs Don’t rely on systematic reviews / meta-analysis Don’t rely on systematic reviews / meta-analysis Don’t duplicate systematic review Don’t duplicate systematic review

10. How to Fail No proper research question No proper research question Do a précis and not a critical review Do a précis and not a critical review Leave too few papers in review Leave too few papers in review Exclude things you should include Exclude things you should include Leave it unrelated to rest of paper Leave it unrelated to rest of paper

11. Needs Assessment “To use epidemiological and/or other approaches to describe the health status or health care needs of a defined population and, where appropriate, to identify environmental or personal factors which wither threaten of enhance health” (“Needs Assessment”)

12. Faculty Advice Describe the problem Describe the problem Define ‘needs assessment’ Define ‘needs assessment’ Describe the methods and data Describe the methods and data Comparisons Comparisons Benefits Benefits Discuss implementation Discuss implementation

13. Personal Advice Describe Andrews and Rafftery Describe Andrews and Rafftery Epidemiological; corporative; comparative Epidemiological; corporative; comparative Say what your are going to do and do it Say what your are going to do and do it Make sure you talk of ‘ability to benefit’ Make sure you talk of ‘ability to benefit’ Be selective with your data presentation Be selective with your data presentation If you wish to describe health status make sure the examiner knows that’s what you’re doing - and make it relevant & weighty If you wish to describe health status make sure the examiner knows that’s what you’re doing - and make it relevant & weighty

14. How to Fail Forget about the ‘ability to benefit’ Forget about the ‘ability to benefit’ (Unless you have said ‘health status’) Using the same data for two Using the same data for two or more competencies

15. 3. Information for Planning “To identify and obtain relevant information and show how it can be used to plan health services or other activities aimed at improving health”

16. Faculty Advice Describe the problem Describe the problem Identify information (data) needed Identify information (data) needed Present clearly Present clearly Assess validity Assess validity Use the conclusions to inform the plan Use the conclusions to inform the plan Say what happened Say what happened

17. Personal Advice Be Careful with this one! Be Careful with this one! Say what you are going to do and do it Say what you are going to do and do it Clarity about information Clarity about information “accessing and manipulating health or health services data” “accessing and manipulating health or health services data” Not same as needs assessment / evaluation Relate the info clearly to planning, and say Relate the info clearly to planning, and say What you have done / going to do Consider using Planning Cycle Approach Consider using Planning Cycle Approach

18. How to Fail Getting information ‘wrong’ Getting information ‘wrong’ E.g.health promotion, publicity E.g.health promotion, publicity Trying to get competency ‘on the cheap’ Trying to get competency ‘on the cheap’ Using same information too often Using same information too often Forgetting to ‘Plan’ Forgetting to ‘Plan’

19. 4. Evaluation “To assess the effectiveness and efficiency (resource requirements) of health services or other activities aimed at improving health”

20. Faculty Advice Describe the problem Describe the problem Give a theoretical framework Give a theoretical framework Note any existing standards Note any existing standards Describe methods and information Describe methods and information Comment on evaluation Comment on evaluation Make recommendations Make recommendations

21. Personal Advice Make sure you offer a ‘Framework’ Donabedian / Maxwell / From Literature Donabedian / Maxwell / From Literature Yours - invent it if necessary Yours - invent it if necessary Say what you are going to do & do it. Say what you are going to do & do it. If you do an economic audit get it right If you do an economic audit get it right Say something about user’s views Say something about user’s views Avoid audit against published standards Avoid audit against published standards Don’t rely on a Patient Satisfaction survey Don’t rely on a Patient Satisfaction survey Opportunity to be interesting Opportunity to be interesting Don’t offer a personal view Don’t offer a personal view

22. How to Fail No explicit framework No explicit framework Data ‘light’ or irrelevant to framework Data ‘light’ or irrelevant to framework No conclusion No conclusion

23. An Interlude A few pictures of Jersey

26. Small island off a continental land mass Financial services important Special administrative region Higher GDP per capita Mix of cultures Taken over in WW2

43. Passing Part Two (Only bother with this if you are going to be borderline) (the unofficial bit)

44. Examiners are different Coherent and Logical Story Coherent and Logical Story It’s a good piece of work It’s a good piece of work Counters and Ringers Counters and Ringers Purist Academic Purist Academic (Politicians) (Politicians) Local examiners pretty tough! Local examiners pretty tough!

45.   For each paper have a good story - ideally with a successful outcome Beginning, middle and end Tell it well Make sure it has a public health outcome Don’t keep tomethods/results/discussion if it doesn’t work Make sure its ‘heavy enough’ 1: Pick the right Project

46. 2: Make sure of the Competency! !! ANSWER THE QUESTION !! !! ANSWER THE QUESTION !! Understand the Competency - redefine it for your use - redefine it for your use !! HONG KONG ISSUE !! Don’t leave the examiner to decide between paper - piece of work - person

47. 3: Optimise words and time  Maximize use of word count to show your work not the boring bits.  Maximize use of oral session - which is there to help you explain your work and pick up the competency nly two (or three) submissions  This means only two (or three) submissions - probably ! - probably !

48. Don’t try and squeeze too many competencies out of one set of data Especially don’t confuse “needs assessment” with“information for planning” or “evaluation” Make sure the examiner knows what competency you are dealing with. 4:Keep the competencies clear

49. 5: Less can be more: Cut out everything that does not add to the story / competency Cut out everything that does not count towards the marking Make space for your original work Be selective with large survey results Don’t leave the examiner say “so what” or “why are you telling me that”

50. Don’t be fixed on ‘approved’ structure Critical literature review to …… Needs assessment to ….. Recommendations come from text Say what happened 6: Structural Matters

51. 7: Remember how the examiner marks: A Clear Statement of the Problem and Background – locally and scientifically Clear statement of specific aims and objectives of the work reported Methods used for collection, analysis and presentation of information Clear presentation of the information Comparisons with results of other relevant work

52. Clear statement of implications of findings for the public health and ph practice Plans for implementation and evaluation of any recommendations Abstract Statement of Candidates own contribution Cogency, Coherence and overall quality (?) Competence examined

53. 8. Make the examiners enjoy it!  Write in a way that is easy to read - English rather than techno-babble - consider first person  Use colour, space and design  Put in some photographs

54. Statistical tests Frameworks ‘Standard’ Papers Local structures and organisations Don’t ‘name-drop’ Don’t make him look it up 9: Tell the examiner what he doesn’t know:

55. Only use common and well recognised abbreviations - where it would be unnatural to use full words. Only one home made tla per paper 10: Abbreviations

56. 12: Resits Are actually a test of the previous examiners’ comments – so follow them and you will get through.

57. The General Oral The promotion of health and the prevention of disease The promotion of health and the prevention of disease The investigation and control of communicable disease The investigation and control of communicable disease Environmental health and the investigation and control of environmental diseases Environmental health and the investigation and control of environmental diseases Using health information and evaluating activities aimed at influencing health Using health information and evaluating activities aimed at influencing health Screening programmes Screening programmes The provision of health care The provision of health care

58. General Oral - Assessment 6 x 5 minutes Content and Presentation Satisfactory / Borderline / Unsatisfactory Overall + Agent of Change Teamwork Final Pass / Fail

59. 3: Passing the General Oral Don’t underestimate Don’t underestimate Develop some standard answers Develop some standard answers Work with colleagues Work with colleagues What would you actually do? What would you actually do? Who would you work with? Who would you work with? What groups would you set up? What groups would you set up? What is the realistic role or public health? What is the realistic role or public health?

60. Some thoughts about HK Exam Well up to UK standards Well up to UK standards Has changed over the past four years - Has changed over the past four years - Survey analysed to death Survey analysed to death Recommendations linked to paper Recommendations linked to paper More practical than academic More practical than academic Less personal value judgements Less personal value judgements Different - Different - More ‘scientific’ More ‘scientific’ Wider world of reference Wider world of reference More authoritarian More authoritarian Faith in official data Faith in official data

61. Good Luck ! Remember everybody wants you to pass!