Certification exams evaluated with serial case reports: theoretical and problematic approach

The objective of this issue is a theoretical approach to the disadvantages involved in taking the certification exams of medical specializations through serial case reports and analyzing them with the Classical Test Theory (TCT). The certification exams of medical specializations correspond to criterial summative exams with high consequences. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain the highest quality standards in all the processes involved in preparing the exam. At present, it has been detected that some councils of medical specialties conduct the certification exams with tests that contain serial case reports and the psychometric analysis that they conduct is supported by the TCT; however, the structure of this type of test violates the fundamental assumptions of the TCT. The violation of the fundamental assumptions of the TCT in the tests constructed through serial case reports can lead to biases or misinterpretations of the results. Due to the above, it is advisable to use other psychometric models for the analysis of this type of test, or to avoid the use of serial case reports in the certification exams of medical specialties.