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A comparative study of measures to evaluate medical students' performance
R A Edelstein1, H M Reid, R Usatine
1Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, College of Medicine--Academic Affairs, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA. roedelst@cdrewu.edu
Summary
New medical school performance exams, computer-based case simulations (CBX) and standardized patient exams (SPX), show low correlations with each other and traditional assessments. A multipronged approach is recommended for evaluating physician competency.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Physician Competency
Background:
- Traditional medical education assessments include licensing board scores and grade-point averages.
- New performance examinations, such as computer-based case simulations (CBX) and standardized patient exams (SPX), are being developed by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).
- Understanding how these new modalities compare to each other and to traditional measures is crucial for effective student evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the National Board of Medical Examiners' computer-based case simulations (CBX) and standardized patient exams (SPX) against each other.
- To evaluate the correlation of CBX and SPX with traditional performance indicators.
- To assess medical students' attitudes toward new and traditional evaluation methods.
Main Methods:
- 155 fourth-year medical students participated in performance examinations, including eight SPXs and ten CBXs.
- Students completed a self-administered attitudinal survey.
- Exam scores were correlated with archival student data, including licensing board scores and grade-point averages.
Main Results:
- The CBX and SPX demonstrated low to moderate statistically significant correlations with each other and with traditional performance measures.
- Traditional measures showed higher intercorrelations among themselves compared to their correlations with CBX or SPX.
- Student perceptions varied, with CBX rated highest for assessing clinical decision-making and multiple-choice exams for knowledge assessment.
Conclusions:
- Performance examinations assess distinct physician competency domains.
- Findings support the use of multipronged assessment strategies in medical education.
- Integrating various evaluation methods provides a more comprehensive understanding of student performance.