The Mini-CEX is a well-studied workplace-based assessment tool used to evaluate an individual’s clinical skills in a variety of clinical settings. Using ECFMG’s Mini-CEX for Pathway 6, your physician evaluators will assess your clinical skills during real, in-person clinical encounters.

When completing the on-line Mini-CEX for Pathway 6, the physician evaluator will provide his or her name, physician license or registration number, and e-mail address, along with general information about the clinical encounter, including the date on which the encounter took place, the name of the health care facility at which the encounter took place, the setting of the encounter, the patient’s age, and the patient’s gender. The physician evaluator will then score your performance during the clinical encounter on each of four clinical skills components:

• Medical Interviewing Skills
• Physical Examination Skills
• Professionalism/Communication Skills
• Clinical Reasoning & Judgment

For each of the four components, the evaluator will score your performance on a scale of 1 to 9, with 1 being the lowest score and 9 being the highest score, based on the following anchors:

• A score of 1, 2, or 3 to an applicant who performs like a medical student who is just beginning clinical experiences
• A score of 4, 5, or 6 to an applicant who performs like an individual who has graduated from medical school
• A score of 7, 8, or 9 to an applicant who performs like an individual who is or has been in the practice of medicine

The Mini-CEX for Pathway 6 also includes descriptions of the skills expected of an applicant who performs at the level of a medical school graduate ready to enter postgraduate training/graduate medical education (GME). Any score below this level will require the evaluator to provide a reason for the score.

For a sample Mini-CEX form, see the PDF version of the ECFMG Mini-CEX for Pathway 6. Please note that this sample version is for reference only; it should not be used to complete the evaluation or be submitted to ECFMG. All Mini-CEX responses must be collected and scored electronically through ECFMG’s Clinical Skills Evaluation and Attestation Portal. Paper evaluations and evaluations sent via e-mail will not be accepted.