A new competency-based curriculum in psychiatry, approved by PMETB, will come into place in August 2007. This requires that far more teaching, learning and assessment will occur in the workplace in real clinical time and real situations. This book will be a general introduction to the workplace based assessments that are to accompany the new curriculum. It will explore how the best potential way to collect data on trainees' performance is the personal witnessing of patient interactions over a period of time. The book will outline the theory and practice behind various assessments, such as case-based discussions, long-case and short-case evaluations, patient satisfaction, directly observed practice and multi-source feedback. In addition to examples, rating schedules which the College is currently piloting, will be included.