Online Script Concordance Test for ENT

Abstract

Objective: The Script Concordance Test (SCT) involves the use of authentic clinical scenarios to compare a medical trainee’s judgment skills with those of experts. The aim of this work is to produce valid, reliable SCT for the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) discipline. Method: In total, 132 participants were asked to test an online ENT-SCT of 20 cases and 94 questions based on the major educational objectives of the ENT residency program. Three levels of experience were tested: medical students, ENT residents, and board-certified otorhinolaryngologists as an expert panel. Results: The 65 respondents with useable data were medical students (n = 21), ENT residents (n = 22), and experts (n = 22). Total mean test scores significantly differed: 76.81 ± 3.31 for the expert panel, 69.05 ± 4.35 for residents, and 58.29 ± 5.86 for students. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.95. More than two-thirds of the participants found the test realistic and relevant for assessing clinical reasoning. The test was also considered interesting and intuitive. Conclusion: The web-based ENT-SCT is feasible, reliable, and useful for assessing clinical reasoning. This online assessment tool may have applications for residency programs and continuing medical education.