Abstracts From the Proceedings of the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Association of Directors of Medical Student Educationin Psychiatry (ADMSEP)

Abstract

The 31st Annual Meeting of the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP) was held from June 23 to June 25, 2005, at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa in Monterey, California. Approximately 100 registrants from 60 medical schools in the United States and Canada were in attendance. Although the plenary sessions and workshops covered a wide range of educational topics, there was a focus on assessment of students' clinical skillsKeynote speeches were given by Richard Hawkins, deputy vice president, assessment programs, at the National Board of Medical Examiners and by Brian Hodges, director of the Wilson Center for Research in Education at the University of Toronto. Dr. Hawkins presented an overview of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) exam with emphasis on the measures taken to ensure fairness and consistency. He also provided an update on examinee performance to date. Dr. Hodges discussed the development and spread of the use of Objective Structured Clinical Evaluations (OSCEs), along with current best practices with respect to simulation and the use of standardized patients, measuring student exam performance, and issues regarding the validity of the OSCE tool with respect to the novice, intermediate, and expert examinee. He also discussed particular features of the OSCE relevant to psychiatry.The abstracts presented in these proceedings were chosen for their general appeal to medical student educators and because they are representative of the type of educational research undertaken by ADMSEP members and colleagues. To appreciate the breadth of topics cover at the meeting, the reader is referred to the full program on the "Meetings" pages of the ADMSEP Web site, www.admsep.org.