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Pass the Royal College examinations. MCQ technique
C Williams1, P Trigwell, D Yeomans
1St James's University Hospital, Leeds.
British Journal of Hospital Medicine
|April 17, 1996
Summary
Poor technique on negatively marked multiple-choice exams can cause trainee doctors to fail Royal College exams. Even with a high correct answer rate, a low score is possible, leading to failure for capable clinicians.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Assessment Methods
- Clinical Competency
Background:
- Royal College examinations are crucial for medical training progression.
- Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are a common assessment format.
- Negative marking strategies in exams can significantly impact scores.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the impact of poor multiple-choice question (MCQ) technique on trainee doctor exam performance.
- To explain how negative marking can lead to unexpectedly low scores.
- To underscore the risk of competent clinicians failing exams due to question-answering strategy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of scoring in negatively marked multiple-choice examinations.
- Illustrative example of a candidate's performance under negative marking.
Main Results:
- A candidate answering 72% of questions correctly can achieve a final score of only 44% on a negatively marked exam.
- This scoring mechanism can disadvantage knowledgeable candidates.
Conclusions:
- Inadequate MCQ technique poses a significant risk to trainee doctors in Royal College exams.
- Negative marking requires specific test-taking strategies beyond subject knowledge.
- Examining assessment methodologies is crucial to ensure fair evaluation of clinical competence.