Assessment of a peer review process among interns at an Australian hospital

Purpose. This study considered how a peer review process could work in an Australian public hospital setting. Method. Up to 229 medical personnel completed an online performance assessment of 52 Junior Medical Officers (JMOs) during the last quarter of 2008. Results. Results indicated that the registrar was the most suitable person to assess interns, although other professionals, including interns themselves, were identified as capable of playing a role in a more holistic appraisal system. Significant sex differences were also found, which may be worthy of further study. Also, the affirmative rather than the formative aspect of the assessment results suggested that the criteria and questions posed in peer review be re-examined. Conclusion. A peer review process was able to be readily implemented in a large institution, and respondents were positive towards peer review generally as a valuable tool in the development of junior medical staff.