Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Using Learning Outcome Measures to assess Doctoral Nursing Education
Published on: June 21, 2010
Exploring the learning curve in medical education: using self-assessment as a measure of learning
Britta M Thompson1, John C Rogers
1Baylor College of Medicine, M220, Houston, TX 77030, USA. brittat@bcm.edu
Background:
Learning is a complex process that follows predictable patterns. The authors explored whether students' self-assessment of competencies could be used as a measure of learning within medical school.
Method:
Medical students (all grade levels) rated their achievement of competencies at the beginning and end of an academic year. Repeated-measures ANOVA and [eta]2 were used to determine differences.
Results:
Five hundred thirty-three students participated (response rate = 79.3%). Self-assessment ratings between four grade levels were significant (P < .001, [eta]2 = 0.33), with the steepest difference between MS2 and MS3; professionalism ratings remained relatively stable. The largest percent increase within an academic year occurred between MS1 and MS2, with little increase within MS3 and MS4.
Conclusions:
Medical students' self-assessment ratings of competencies indicated differences between grade levels and during an academic year, following a sigmoidal curve. These results have implications for medical education and indicate the need to develop longitudinal measures to track changes in learning.
Related Concept Videos
Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching I: Assessment and Diagnosis
It is critical to determine the patient's learning needs during the assessment. Determination of learning needs compounds data from the...
Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching III: Evaluation and Documentation
Nurses can use several methods to evaluate patient outcomes. For example, oral questions can assess cognitive learning, patient...
Metacognition
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification