Combining test-taking intervention with course remediation: effects on National Board subtest performance

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Academic Assessment
• Student Performance

Background:

• Many medical students face challenges with standardized examinations like the National Board Part I.
• Poor performance on these high-stakes tests can necessitate repeating subtests and impact academic progression.
• Targeted interventions may address underlying skill deficits affecting student success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of test-taking skills instruction on the retest performance of medical students.
• To determine if a specialized intervention program improves outcomes for students repeating National Board Part I subtests.
• To assess the efficacy of test-taking skills training as an academic remediation tool.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design compared two groups of second-year medical students repeating National Board Part I subtests.
• An intervention group (n=14) received specialized test-taking skills instruction within a summer review program.
• A comparison group (n=13) did not receive the specialized test-taking skills instruction.

Main Results:

• The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher mean retest scores compared to the comparison group (F = 9.38, P < .005).
• This indicates a substantial positive effect of the test-taking skills instruction on examination performance.
• The findings highlight the effectiveness of the intervention in improving academic outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Test-taking skills instruction can significantly enhance academic success for medical students.
• Such intervention programs are a valuable consideration for students with low examination performance due to poor test-taking abilities.
• Academic remediation strategies incorporating test-taking skills training warrant serious consideration in medical education.