Virtual approaches to examination development in the COVID era: Lessons learned from the launch of COPR's emergency medical responder exam

In the roughly two years since the COVID-19 virus resulted in the declaration of a global pandemic, the Canadian professional testing industry has experienced unprecedented, rapid shifts; both in terms of rising demand for certified professionals across many health-related sectors, as well as substantive challenges to the organization and facilitation of traditional examination development workflows. However, despite a logistical move towards online testing modalities and online (or hybridized) examination development activities, professional testing has largely retained the same competency profiles, pass mark-setting approaches and credentialing standards that were established and applied pre-pandemic. Maintaining examination programs and expanding testing access in the face of COVID requires flexibility, however; and many professional testing bodies have been forced to revisit long-held approaches to developing their exams, so that they can continue to facilitate these processes in a way that also aligns with present safety concerns, travel restrictions and shifting availability among their subject matter experts. This is especially true for pan-Canadian testing bodies, where jurisdictional differences in COVID protocols need to be considered. It was under these circumstances that the Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators (COPR) developed and launched its new emergency medical responder (EMR) examination program, using a remotely-proctored delivery mode, coupled with a remotely-facilitated blueprinting, item bank validation and standard setting workflow. We explore the approach taken to developing an entirely new examination program remotely under these circumstances; and discuss key takeaways that can be applied to other programs seeking to adapt their workflows to the lived realities of the current remote/hybridized professional testing landscape.