Online Open Book Examination as a Tool for Revision in Forensic Medicine

Background: Students find it difficult to retain knowledge given during lectures. Tests should be given frequently to increase retention of information. An open book examination is one where the students can give answers using their textbooks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 'Exam Derived Learning' in the form of an 'Online Open Book Examination' as a revision tool in the subject of Forensic Medicine among second-year MBBS students at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad. Materials and methods: An online open book examination was conducted in the form of pretested and validated MCQs after the regular interactive lecture classes on the topic of drowning but before the revision exercise on the same. Feedback from the students was taken on an online open book examination via pretested and validated Likert-scale-type perceptions. The median score of the online open book test was calculated. The perceptions of students' toward online open book examination were assessed via the median score. Results: The median score of the online open book test was nine out of 10, 34.7% of the students secured full marks, and 97.4% of the students secured more than 50% of the score. Students gave favorable feedback for the online open book examination. Conclusion: Open-book tests must be practiced as one of the assessment modules in medical education to enhance retention of knowledge and encourage critical thinking.