Evaluation of Two Applied Methods for Standard Setting in Undergraduate Medical Programme at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University

Abstract

Standard setting process is known to overcome the problem of the arbitrary pass score which is prone to underrate or overrate students. At Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University (FOM/SCU), arbitrary 60% cutoff score is used in written exams. The objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of applying two standard setting methods in undergraduate medical programme of FOM/SCU. Two standard setting methods (Angoff and Hofstee) were applied on the integrated multiple choice question (MCQ) exam of the third year FOM/SCU undergraduate students. Eleven judges from different specialties participated in this study. The cutoff score was determined by each method. Focus group discussion was conducted to get the judges’ perception regarding standard setting process, importance, judges’ selection and challenges. The determined cutoff scores using Angoff and Hofstee methods were 54.98% and 44% respectively. Thematic analysis of focus group discussion revealed judges’ acceptance for standard setting application on all exams and they agreed on involving non-specialists in the judges’ committee. There is a difference between the fixed cutoff score currently used at FOM/SCU and those determined using Angoff and Hofstee methods. Multidisciplinary judges are satisfied with this difference and they echoed the use of standard setting methods in improving assessment process.