Workshop 7: Educating for the future: Creative solutions to authentic assessment in pharmacology education
Tracks
Track 1
| Monday, July 13, 2026 |
| 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
Details
Assessment of students’ knowledge and skills in an authentic manner that allows application to real-world settings is a continuing challenge in higher education. Authentic assessment drives greater cognitive engagement and development of skills for problem-solving, decision-making, collaboration, innovation and communicating new knowledge. The diversity of professional opportunities in which students may apply their pharmacological knowledge and skills also requires creative approaches to designing authentic activities that are relevant across the breadth of clinical, healthcare and research careers arising from degrees in which pharmacology is taught. In this symposium, leaders in education will discuss their experiences designing and implementing authentic learning and assessment. Catapulting beyond established activities, the speakers will provide insights into scalable solutions for large cohorts, novel examination approaches, and technology-enabled solutions, amongst others. This session will inspire educators to design innovative yet practical assessment solutions that will prepare students for careers across a range of pathways and aspirations.
Speaker
Dr Angelina Lim
Monash University
Preparing pharmacology students for authentic practice using Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPEs)
Biography
Dr. Angelina Lim is a senior lecturer and deputy course director at Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University. Her key interests are simulation, interprofessional learning, authentic assessment, generative artificial intelligence, antimicrobial stewardship and paediatric endocrinology. Angelina's main expertise lies in designing and evaluating Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. Angelina has embarked on many pharmacy related career paths, starting with hospital pharmacy, then community pharmacy (still practicing), public health sector and research. She still maintains links with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) working on projects in disability and paediatric endocrinology. Angelina is dedicated to teaching and education research and aims to use evidence based pedagogical approaches to drive her teaching and curriculum design.
Dr Betty Exintaris
Monash University
Co-presenter
Biography
Betty Exintaris is an Education-Focused academic, Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching, Associate Dean Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. With over 20 years of experience in teaching physiology and pharmacology, her expertise lies in innovative, inclusive teaching practices that enhance student engagement and learning.
Dr Nilushi Karunaratne
Monash University
Co-presenter
Biography
Dr. Nilushi Karunaratne is a dynamic and award-winning educator specialising in skill-based instruction and innovative practices. In 2017 she was awarded a Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning and received a Monash university Vice-Chancellor’s Citation in 2018. Nilushi’s education research centers on teamwork and resilience skill-based training. Her expertise in and dedication to skill-based education were recognised in 2021, when she received the ASCEPT Gillian Shenfield Early Educator Award and more recently, was awarded the IUPHAR Education Section Outstanding Early Career Educator Award in 2023. Nilushi is a driver of community growth and development as evidenced by her leadership in the Faculty’s flagship Skills Coaching Program for first year students from 2019 to 2022, and by co-creating the Parkville International and Exchange Students (PIES) Program. Nilushi has also recently been appointed as an IUPHAR Education Councillor and is Co-Deputy for the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) Victoria Branch.
Session chair
Tina Hinton
The University Of Sydney
Willmann Liang
University of Hong Kong
