Test-taking intervention: associated effects on an allied health certifying examination

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology Education
• Professional Certification Examinations

Background:

• The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Registry Examination is crucial for medical technologists.
• Enhancing student performance on this high-stakes exam is a key objective in medical technology programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interventionist approach aimed at improving medical technology students' performance on the ASCP Registry Examination.
• To compare the outcomes of students receiving the intervention with those in control groups.

Main Methods:

• An intervention group received focused training on test-taking strategies, self-assessment, and self-directed learning.
• The intervention group's performance was compared to two other control groups of medical technology students.
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean performance scores on the ASCP Registry Examination.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in performance were observed among the groups.
• The intervention group achieved the highest mean score on the ASCP Registry Examination.
• The results indicate a positive impact of the intervention on exam performance.

Conclusions:

• The interventionist approach, emphasizing test-taking skills and self-directed learning, significantly enhances medical technology students' performance on the ASCP Registry Examination.
• This study suggests that targeted educational interventions can be effective in preparing students for professional certification.
• The findings support the integration of such strategies into medical technology curricula to improve student outcomes.