Outcome-based student assessment enhances academic performance in basic medical laboratory course

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Assessment Methods
• Laboratory Skills Training

Background:

• Basic Medical Laboratory Courses (BMLCs) are crucial for developing surgical operating, collaborative learning, and problem-solving skills.
• Outcome-Based Student Assessment (OBSA) is a performance-based evaluation method aligned with BMLC curriculum objectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency of the Outcome-Based Student Assessment (OBSA) program in Basic Medical Laboratory Courses (BMLCs).
• To compare the academic performance and skill development of students using OBSA versus a control group.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 233 medical students in BMLCs.
• Students were divided into an OBSA group (118) and a control group (115).
• Evaluations included multiple-choice questions (MCQs), direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS), and student questionnaires, analyzed using two-sample t-tests.

Main Results:

• The OBSA group demonstrated significantly higher academic performance in MCQs across eight BMLC blocks (P < 0.05).
• OBSA group students achieved significantly higher scores in DOPS and mini-experimental evaluation exercises (P < 0.05).
• A majority of students preferred OBSA, reporting significant improvements in surgical operating (83.9%), collaborative learning (92.1%), and problem-solving skills (91.1%).

Conclusions:

• Outcome-Based Student Assessment (OBSA) is an effective evaluation method for BMLC curricula.
• OBSA positively impacts student academic performance and enhances key medical skills.
• Student feedback indicates a strong preference for OBSA due to its perceived effectiveness.