Twelve tips to afford students agency in programmatic assessment

Programmatic assessment is gaining traction in health professions education, emphasizing continuous, integrated appraisal to support holistic student development. Despite its adoption, effectively affording student agency within programmatic assessment remains challenging due to longstanding educational practices, entrenched power dynamics and cultural norms favoring educator and institutional control. This article aims to provide strategies to promote student agency in programmatic assessments, essential for modernizing educational practices and preparing self-regulated, lifelong learners. The tips include establishing student-educator partnerships, making power dynamics transparent, designing purposeful and inclusive assessments, and normalizing bidirectional feedback conversations. The strategies emphasize the importance of a growth mindset, effective communication, and the role of coaches. The article also explores leveraging artificial intelligence to empower students. Affording students agency requires a significant cultural shift but holds the potential to transform health professions education. By promoting student autonomy and engagement, educators can better prepare students as capable, self-regulated professionals, enhancing the quality and effectiveness of health education programs.