THE CONSORTIUM
Overseas Registration Examination
Part 2
Mitigating Circumstances
Policy and Procedures
Candidates requesting any special adjustment during the examination –including
adjustment around clothing, illness, seating position or time taken to complete the
assessment – MUST submit their request using the Notification form at the end of this
document.
This is a Consortium policy and as such it applies only to candidates who attend for the
ORE Part 2 examination. If you have received your examination date and will be unable to
attend, for any reason, then please notify the General Dental Council (GDC) at
examinations@gdc-uk.org. The GDC will advise the Consortium that you have withdrawn
from the examination.
For candidates who do attend to sit the ORE Part 2, this policy covers: Disability (section
A), Illness (section B), and Mitigating Circumstances affecting performance (section C).
Introduction to Mitigating Circumstances Policy
1. There may be occasions when candidates enter for an examination with a pre-
existing disability.
2. Candidates must make a professional decision as to their fitness to start or to
continue with the examination once started. Candidates should be clear as to the
consequences of their decision.
3. Mitigating circumstances fall into a number of categories e.g. pre-existing disability,
personal ill health, accident, bereavement, or serious disturbance during the
examination.
3.1. Disability:
See section A below.
3.2. Ill Health/ Accident/Bereavement:
Pre-existing circumstances in these categories cannot be considered by
the Examination Board because a candidate presents themselves at the
examination as being fit for dental practice. (For ill health that arises only
during the examination, see section B below.)
3.3. Serious Disturbance during the Examination:
Page 1 of 10
This will be considered as a defect in Examination Procedures and is
covered under the Complaints Policy. Please complete the standard form
from the Consortium’s Website (www.orepart2.org.uk/policy-docs).
4. For each circumstance, The Consortium’s Board of Examiners will consider the
severity, and how this may be managed.
A Disability
5. Where a candidate has a disability which they believe may affect their performance
in the examination they must, as soon as the GDC confirms their exam booking for
each diet of the examinations:
5.1. Notify the Consortium for each and every diet of the examination that they
sit as the Consortium retains only information of this nature against their
Exam Candidate number for an individual diet.
5.2. Complete the standard form at the end of this document or from the
Consortium’s Website (www.orepart2.org.uk/policy-docs),
5.3. Send it electronically to the Consortium’s Examination Team
(dentalexams@rcseng.ac.uk) or by post (to: ORE Examinations Team, The
Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
WC2A 3PE).
6. Candidates notifying us of mitigating circumstances MUST include supporting
documentation with the notification form.
The Consortium’s ORE Examination Team will pass this information onto the
Examination Board for consideration. The Board will take into account that the
examination is simulating clinical dental practice when deciding upon what
reasonable adjustment may be offered to the candidate.
The Examination Board will take independent expert advice on whether the request
submitted qualifies as an extenuating circumstance for which adjustment may be
considered.
7.
8. A decision will be sent to the candidate before the date of the examination and,
where possible, within 10 working days of its receipt.
9. Should the candidate request a review of the decision they may do so in writing,
addressing their correspondence to the Head of Examinations RCS and using the
email address dentalexams@rcseng.ac.uk or the postal address Examinations
Department, The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn
Fields, London, WC2A 3PE.
10. Dyslexia
10.1. Any candidate who wishes to be considered for mitigating arrangements as
a result of dyslexia must as soon as the GDC confirms their exam booking
complete the standard form at the end of this document or from the
Consortium’s Website (www.orepart2.org.uk/policy-docs).
10.2. Send it electronically to the Consortium’s Examination Team
(dentalexams@rcseng.ac.uk) or by post (to: ORE Examinations Team, The
Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
WC2A 3PE).
10.3. As for any mitigating circumstances notification (see paragraph 6 above)
candidates notifying of dyslexia should include any supporting
documentation they have with the notification form.
Page 2 of 10
10.3.1. If a report is enclosed with the notification form, and this report
proves to be sufficiently recent, and the information straightforward
and easy to apply to the ORE Part 2, then this may be sufficient for
a decision to be made about the adjustment that can be offered to
the candidate.
10.3.2. If there is no previous report, or the report does not help to inform a
decision as to what adjustment can be offered to the candidate (see
section 10.4. below), then the candidate will be asked to provide
further evidence before any adjustment can be considered.
10.3.3. For example, the candidate may be advised to contact a Dyslexia
Centre. The Centre would then establish the severity of the dyslexia,
and advise The Consortium on the appropriate adjustment(s) for the
ORE Part 2. The Centre may decide that it can advise the
Consortium from the candidate’s existing documentation, or it may
invite the candidate to attend for a new assessment. Any
appointment made must be at least 10 working days prior to the
start of the examination.
10.3.4. Please note that a Dyslexia Centre is likely to charge the candidate
for this service and candidates are advised to discuss the cost with
the Centre before going ahead. The cost will be higher if a new
assessment is needed than if the Centre can advise on the basis of
existing documentation.
10.3.5. A report may not be helpful if insufficiently recent, or if the
information it provides is based on written examinations and cannot
easily be applied to clinical/skills based examinations taken in the
ORE Part 2.
10.4. Recommendations may be one or more of the following:
10.4.1. Either no special assessment arrangements for examinations. This
recommendation pertains when a student has been found, at a first
diagnostic assessment from a Dyslexia Centre, not to be dyslexic.
10.4.2. OR the candidate will be permitted additional writing/reading time
and/or a reader as deemed appropriate from a Dyslexia
assessment. The candidate’s script will be marked with a note
drawing the examiners’ attention to the candidate’s dyslexia.
10.5. The recommendation will be considered by the Chair of the Examination
Board. The special arrangements which can be made available are:
OSCE: The Consortium would provide a member of the support staff to
accompany the candidate around the circuit solely to read out the
questions. After completing the full circuit the candidate would
then be given the chance to re-visit ONE station to complete any
writing for an extra 5 minutes (so the candidate would get double
time at one station which s/he hadn't completed).
DM: This component of the examination is a skills test. The Consortium
would provide a member of the support staff to read the question
sheet for the candidate at the start of the examination. The
examiners will not allow additional time for candidates to answer
questions in this part of the examination.
DTP A maximum of 5 minutes extra time will be allowed for completion of
the contemporaneous notes and written treatment plan. Candidates
who require this extra time will be placed at the end of either a
Page 3 of 10
morning or afternoon session so as not to interfere with other
timetables.
ME As both the scenarios and the CPR are emergency procedures no
additional time will be given.
B. Illness
11. Candidates who feel unwell must make a professional decision as to whether they
are fit to turn up to the examination or to continue to sit the examination after it has
begun. Candidates will be expected to accept the consequences of their decision,
as detailed below.
12. Candidates who become ill after the GDC has confirmed their booking on an
examination:
12.1. Candidates who decide that they are too ill to sit the examination should
report this to the GDC as soon as possible.
12.2. The GDC will notify the Consortium that the candidate has withdrawn.
13. A candidate who feels ill during the examination
13.1. Should discuss this immediately with the Lead Examiner, who may consult
with the External Examiner, and who will record all the information given to
them and then send this to the Examination Board as soon as possible.
14. The candidate must make a professional decision as to your fitness to continue
with the examination.
15. If the candidate feels able to continue with the examination then they must:
15.1. Get the agreement of the Lead Examiner to continue taking into account the
candidate’s condition and their ability to complete not only that component
of the examination but also those components still outstanding for the
candidate.
15.2. Your performance will be judged in exactly the same way as all other
candidates. Results will not be adjusted retrospectively regardless of
the production of a medical certificate. This is because you made the
decision that you were well enough to continue with the examination.
15.3. The Lead Examiner will make a record of the decision regarding the
candidate’s ability to continue the examination and will present this at the
Examination Board.
15.4. However, the Lead Examiner may decide to terminate the examination for
the candidate as they believe that the candidate:
15.4.1. Sufficiently unwell as to not able to continue the examination and by
doing so may harm themselves, another candidate, the examiners
or support team.
15.4.2. May breach health and safety protocols;
15.4.3. May be unable to complete any subsequent components
examinations.
15.4.4. This decision may not be contested at this time but may be
contested through the Complaints procedures:
15.4.4.1 The standard form at the end of this Complaints procedures
document should be completed from the Consortium’s
Website (www.orepart2.org.uk/policy-docs).
Page 4 of 10
15.4.4.2 The completed form should be sent electronically to the
Consortium’s Examination Team
(dentalexams@rcseng.ac.uk) or by post (to: ORE
Examinations Team, The Royal College of Surgeons of
England, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE).
15.5. The Lead Examiner will record their reason to terminate the examination
and will present this for consideration at the Examination Board. The
Consortium’s Examinations Team will advise the GDC Examinations Team
of the result of their deliberations.
15.6. Only the GDC can discuss with candidates any arrangements to sit the
exam again at a later date.
16. If the candidate decides that they are too ill to continue with the examination:
16.1. They must within 5 working days of the end of the examination complete
the standard form at the end of this document or from the Consortium’s
Website (www.orepart2.org.uk/policy-docs).
16.2. Send it electronically to the Consortium’s Examination Team
(dentalexams@rcseng.ac.uk) or by post (to: ORE Examinations Team, The
Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
WC2A 3PE).
16.3. Cases must be supported by documentary evidence such as a medical
certificate, doctor’s letter or other relevant evidence which must include a
statement of the issue together with the date and duration, or likely
duration, of the illness. Self-certification is unacceptable.
16.4. Upon receiving medical advice, the Chair of the Consortium’s Examination
Board will determine whether the medical certificate is acceptable and
provides sufficient indication of Mitigating Circumstances.
16.5. Only the GDC can discuss with candidates any arrangements to sit the
examination again at a later date.
17. The following will apply if the candidate decides that they are not fit to continue
with the examination or the Lead Examiner decides to terminate the examination
for the candidate:
17.1. After withdrawing from any component, the candidate will not be permitted
to sit any subsequent components during that same diet of the examination.
17.2. The candidate will be required to sit ALL components of the examination
again in a single diet to complete the ORE Part 2.
17.3. Feedback will be given on completed components of the examination
(except see 17.5 below), but NO feedback is provided for any component
not completed.
17.4. This attempt will count as one of your four permitted attempts at the
ORE Part 2.
17.5. Only the GDC can decide whether the uncompleted attempt will be declared
void or not. They alone can discuss with candidates any arrangements to sit
the exam again at a later date. If a candidate’s mitigating circumstance
notification is accepted and the candidate’s sitting is declared void then NO
feedback will be given for the void attempt.
Page 5 of 10
C Mitigating circumstances procedures for candidates who complete the exam
This section applies to candidates who believe medical and/or mitigating
circumstances may have affected their performance.
18. Where a candidate believes that they have been disadvantaged in their
performance in the examination as a result of medical and/or mitigating
circumstances, a submission must be made to the Consortium’s Examinations
Team.
19. All submissions must be submitted at the time when, or immediately after, these
circumstances arise, and, in any case, no later than five working days after the
date of the examination affected
19.1. The standard form at the end of this document should be used or
downloaded and completed from the Consortium’s website
(www.orepart2.org.uk/policy-docs)
19.2. It should then be sent electronically to the Consortium’s Examination Team
(dentalexams@rcseng.ac.uk) or by post (to: ORE Examinations Team, The
Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
WC2A 3PE).
20. Cases must be supported by documentary evidence such as a medical certificate,
doctor’s letter or other relevant evidence. Self-certification is unacceptable.
20.1. In the case of medical circumstances, candidates must include a statement
from their doctor of the issue together with the date and duration, or likely
duration, of the illness. Submission must be made either at the time of or
as soon as possible after the incidence of the circumstances concerned,
and, in any case, no later than five working days after the date of the
examination affected.
21. Procedure at the meeting of the Examination Board:
21.1. The Examination Board will consider submissions received from candidates
about circumstances which may have affected their performance in the
component(s) of the examination which they wish to have taken into
account.
21.1.1. All medical and/or mitigating circumstances will be considered
before the main business of the meeting.
21.1.2. The meeting will only consider submissions which are submitted on
the standard form and are supported by appropriate documentation.
21.1.3. Submissions relating to a conditions which existed when a candidate
entered the examination and which is stable will not normally be
given consideration.
21.1.4. The Examination Board may seek advice and further information on
medical conditions but not in relation to the candidate making the
submission.
21.1.5. The meeting will then use its judgement when considering the
medical and/or mitigating circumstances taking into account the
severity, duration and likely impact.
21.1.6. The deliberations and recommendations of the meeting will be
Page 6 of 10
minuted.
21.1.7. The Examination Board will then complete the academic
assessment of the candidates’ marks and consider the mitigating
circumstances, and confirm their results.
21.2. The decision of The Board is final and may not be contested.
Version 10.3 28/11/2017
Page 7 of 10
ORE Part 2
NOTIFICATION OF REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION OF
MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES
This is to enable the Board of Examiners to take into consideration:
(a) Notifications submitted before the exam:
Requests for arrangements to be put in place to accommodate mitigating
circumstances
(b) Notifications submitted after the exam:
Requests for consideration of mitigating circumstances to be taken into account to
explain withdrawal part way through the examination.
You should complete the form and then submit it, together with the accompanying
documentation, to the Consortium’s Examinations Team:
For (a) above - As soon as you receive your examination date
For (b) above - Within 5 working days of the end of the examination
CANDIDATE NAME:_______________________________ CANDIDATE No: _________
CONTACT: (phone/email) _________________________________________________
SECTION OF EXAMINATION COMPONENT TO WHICH ANY MITIGATING
CIRCUMSTANCES APPLY (If all, state ‘ALL’): ___________________________
DATE(s): __ / __ /__
MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES
(To be completed by a medical practitioner or accompanied by medical certification. Continue on blank
sheet provided if necessary)
Give the nature and severity of the candidate’s medical condition and describe any consequences of the
illness and/or treatment that may be relevant.
If applicable, please provide the dates when the illness started and when the candidate was/will be fit:
Signature of Medical Practitioner ____________________________Date _______________
(if appropriate)
Medical Practitioner’s official Stamp :
Page 8 of 10
Section 2 (b)
NON-MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES
(To be completed by applicant. Continue on blank sheet provided if necessary)
Give a brief description of the circumstances, accompanied by supporting documentation.
- If notifying of mitigating circumstances in advance of your examination, give dates of your
examination booking and how the situation is likely to affect your examination performance.
- If notifying of reasons for withdrawing part-way through an examination, give date(s) on which
you were affected and how the situation affected your ability to complete the exam.
Signature of Candidate ____________________________________Date _______________
Page 9 of 10
CANDIDATE NAME:_______________________________ CANDIDATE No: _________
CONTACT: (phone/email) _________________________________________________
SECTION OF EXAMINATION COMPONENT TO WHICH MITIGATING
CIRCUMSTANCES APPLY (If all, state ‘ALL’):
DATE(s): __ / __ /__
Continuation sheet (attach any supporting documentation here)
Signature of Candidate ____________________________________Date ________________
Signature of Medical Practitioner ____________________________Date _______________
(if appropriate)
Medical Practitioner’s official Stamp:
Page 10 of 10
