Progress Testing of Basic Science Application During a Clinical Competency-Based Curriculum Pilot

Abstract

Background: In a clinical comptentency-based curriculum, assessment of students' basic science knowledge is important. During a feasibility pilot of such a curriculum, six students acquired basic science knowledge about three clinical domains (renal failure, trauma, hyperglycemia) from clinical encounters with real patients as well as traditional learning resources.

Summary of Work: Multiple choice items used for progress tests at Peninsula Medical School were assembled into three 50 item tests, administered online at 2-week intervals. Items used clinical scenarios to test knowledge in the 3 domains plus a control domain (infectious disease). Complete item and answers were provided after each test as formative feedback.

Summary of Results: Tests were difficult (mean topic scores from 32\% to 80\%). Repeated items were easier (80\%) than novel items (58\%). Scores on items that specifically addressed learning objectives improved, though not statistically significantly.

Conclusions: Brief progress tests are feasible assessments of student learning, though the reliability is a concern in this pilot.

Take home messages: Short progress tests may not be the most sensitive way to evaluate basic science knowledge in a clinical competence curriculum. Longer or more focused tests given at longer intervals may be more sensitive to knowledge application abilities acquired during training.