How Does a Comprehensive Clinical Performance Examination Relate to Ratings on the Medical School Student Performance Evaluation?

Abstract

Background: U.S. medical schools have long used the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) to represent overall student performance while comprehensive clinical performance exams (CPX) are beginning to emerge as a new standard for determining student competence. Purpose: This study describes the association between the MSPE and CPX in their independent measures of student competence. Methods: We examined the relationship between CPX scores and student MSPE rating at our institution, which was completed independently of the CPX. Results: Students with higher CPX scores had better MSPE rating, but the associations are small ranging from rs = .13 for history-taking skills to rs = .31 for interpersonal skills. Conclusions: CPX results are not strongly related to MSPE rating and, thus, they may provide information on clinical competencies that should be included in the MSPE.