Developing and evaluating the student assessment system in the preclinical problem-based curriculum at Sherbrooke

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Curriculum Reform
• Assessment Methods

Background:

• Université de Sherbrooke Faculty of Medicine implemented a major curriculum reform in 1987, shifting to a student-centered, problem-based learning (PBL) approach.
• The reform aimed to integrate basic and clinical sciences, using student learning as a key outcome measure.
• An evaluation system was developed to assess preclinical students' learning within this new framework.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the reliability and validity of the implemented evaluation system for preclinical medical students.
• To determine if the evaluation system aligned with the goals of the problem-based learning curriculum.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of various assessment instruments in measuring higher-order cognitive skills.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 1991-1993 classes to evaluate three instruments: written exams (MCQs, SAQs, PAQs), PBL tutor ratings, and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).
• Assessment of instrument reliability and content validity against PBL learning objectives.
• Evaluation of the taxonomic level of questions and the development of a student longitudinal performance profile.

Main Results:

• Reliability of the evaluation system improved over time.
• Written examinations demonstrated content validity aligned with PBL objectives.
• A longitudinal student performance profile was developed to aid promotion decisions.

Conclusions:

• The evaluation system supports learning of higher-taxonomic-level content and fulfills institutional responsibilities.
• PBL tutor evaluations remain psychometrically questionable.
• Measuring students' reasoning and problem-analysis skills is an ongoing challenge within the current evaluation framework.