Understanding Score Trends in Clinical Science Subject Exams: A Longitudinal Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Academic Performance Analysis
• Pandemic Impact Studies

Background:

• Clinical Science Subject Exams are crucial assessments for medical students.
• Exam performance data from 2018-2019 to 2020-2021 provide insights into educational trends.
• The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges to medical education and assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in Clinical Science Subject Exam performance.
• To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical student exam scores.
• To identify score patterns across various medical specialties.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive statistics and data visualization were employed.
• Multilevel models were used to analyze performance data.
• Exam data from 36,791 to 54,770 examinees across seven specialties were analyzed.

Main Results:

• In 2018-2019, scores generally increased as the academic year progressed.
• Average scores in Spring 2020 and 2021 showed minor variations, with the largest differences around two points.
• No major, sustained score decreases were observed during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Medical school exam performance demonstrated relative stability throughout the 2018-2021 academic years.
• Small, intermittent score disruptions occurred post-March 2020, attributed to pandemic-related factors.
• Overall exam performance remained resilient despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.