Collaboration on progress testing in medical schools in the Netherlands

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Progress testing was initially developed at Maastricht University.
• Collaboration among Dutch medical schools for progress testing began in the late 1990s.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of a collaborative progress testing initiative among Dutch medical schools.
• To assess the advantages and disadvantages of inter-institutional collaboration in administering progress tests.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative model for developing and administering a progress test was implemented.
• The progress test is currently administered to five out of eight medical schools in the Netherlands.

Main Results:

• The collaboration resulted in a significant decrease in necessary resources per participating school.
• The shared data facilitate inter-school comparisons and curriculum improvement.
• Logistical challenges and differing views on item quality were identified as disadvantages.

Conclusions:

• The advantages of the collaborative progress testing model significantly outweigh the disadvantages.
• Formal legal agreements are crucial for successful collaboration, alongside collegial communication.
• The collaboration establishes a critical mass for multi-centre research and development in progress testing.