OBJECTIVE MULTI-STATION CLINICAL EVALUATION IN PATHOLOGICAL ANATOMY. CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND PERCEPTION

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pathological Anatomy Assessment
• Clinical Skills Evaluation

Background:

• Multi-station objective clinical evaluation (MSOCE) is a validated assessment tool in clinical settings.
• Its application in pathological anatomy has not been previously documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze and assess the perception of MSOCE in pathological anatomy among medical students.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of MSOCE as an assessment tool in this specific field.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, multicenter prospective study involving 32 medical students.
• Development and testing of an MSOCE with 12 stations and 28 questions.
• Docimological analysis using the 'AnItem.xls' file.

Main Results:

• The average MSOCE score was 36.2/50. Most stations (92%) and questions (57%) were easy, with poor discrimination.
• The assessment showed significant heterogeneity (Cronbach's alpha = 0.29) and primarily discriminated among average students.
• 84% of students were satisfied with the MSOCE, deeming it reflective of clinical reality.

Conclusions:

• The tested MSOCE in pathological anatomy was perceived as easy and relevant by students.
• The tool demonstrated limitations in difficulty and discrimination, primarily assessing average students.
• Further analysis is recommended to enhance the quality and psychometric properties of the MSOCE for pathological anatomy.