Effect of Time Limits during Anatomy Practical Exams on Student Performance

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that timed anatomy practical exams are inherently more difficult than untimed exams. Students in the DPT program were assessed on their understanding of anatomic relationships using multiple‐choice questions. For the class of 2012 (n=46), students were allowed to circulate freely among 40 testing stations during the 40‐minute testing session. For the class of 2013 (n=46), students were required to move sequentially through the 40 testing stations (one minute per item). Students in both years were given three practical exams. An identical set of questions was used for both groups of students (untimed and timed exams). Our results indicate that there is no significant difference between student performance on untimed and timed exams. This result also held true for students in the top and bottom 20% of the class. Moreover, time limits did not lead to errors on even the most difficult, higher‐order questions. Thus, limiting time at testing stations during an anatomy practical exam does not adversely affect student performance. We believe that timed, multiple‐choice exams provide efficient and valid method available for assessing student understanding of anatomy.