Direct Observation Of Practical Skills Research Articles

The Effect of Direct Observation of Procedural Skills on Learning and Satisfaction of Students in Community Dentistry Course.

Direct Observation of Practical Skills (DOPS) tests is a valuable method for clinical assessment. This study aimed to implement the DOPS test to assess the procedural skills of community dentistry courses and its effects on mastery learning and satisfaction of professors and students at Tabriz faculty of dentistry in 2021-2022. In a quasi-experimental study, 60 dentistry students of a class were assigned into two study (n=30) and control (n=30) groups by Permuted block randomization. In the case group, the skills were related to Fluoride therapy, fissure sealant therapy, and health education evaluated by DOPS. In the control group, these skills were evaluated by traditional evaluation methods. Each test was repeated three times. Finally, the satisfaction of students in the case group was assessed by a questionnaire. The chi-square test was used to compare qualitative variables. Repeated measure ANOVA test was used to compare the mean scores in three stages and two groups. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. A significant difference in the mean score of Fluoride therapy, pit and fissure sealant therapy, and health education was seen between the case and control groups (P<0.001). Also a significant increase in these skills in the third stage of assessment in the case group was observed (P<0.001). The professors and students' satisfaction was considerably high on the DOPS test. The DOPS method had more impact on Fluoride therapy, pit and fissure sealant therapy, and health education's learning process in dentistry students than the conventional evaluation. The professors and students' satisfaction level was high regarding DOPS. The advantages of the DOPS method are student-centeredness, objectivity, and appropriate feedback.

Fostering teaching-learning through workplace based assessment in postgraduate chemical pathology residency program using virtual learning environment

BackgroundThe principle of workplace based assessment (WBA) is to assess trainees at work with feedback integrated into the program simultaneously. A student driven WBA model was introduced and perception evaluation of this teaching method was done subsequently by taking feedback from the faculty as well as the postgraduate trainees (PGs) of a residency program.MethodsDescriptive multimethod study was conducted. A WBA program was designed for PGs in Chemical Pathology on Moodle and forms utilized were case-based discussion (CBD), direct observation of practical skills (DOPS) and evaluation of clinical events (ECE). Consented assessors and PGs were trained on WBA through a workshop. Pretest and posttest to assess PGs knowledge before and after WBA were conducted. Every time a WBA form was filled, perception of PGs and assessors towards WBA, time taken to conduct single WBA and feedback were recorded. Faculty and PGs qualitative feedback on perception of WBA was taken via interviews. WBA tools data and qualitative feedback were used to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of the new tools.ResultsSix eligible PGs and seventeen assessors participated in this study. A total of 79 CBDs (assessors n = 7 and PGs n = 6), 12 ECEs (assessors n = 6 and PGs n = 5), and 20 DOPS (assessors n = 6 and PGs n = 6) were documented. PGs average pretest score was 55.6%, which was improved to 96.4% in posttest; p value< 0.05. Scores of annual assessment before and after implementation of WBA also showed significant improvement, p value 0.039, Overall mean time taken to evaluate PG’s was 12.6 ± 9.9 min and feedback time 9.2 ± 7.4 min. Mean WBA process satisfaction of assessors and PGs on Likert scale of 1 to 10 was 8 ± 1 and 8.3 ± 0.8 respectively.ConclusionBoth assessors and fellows were satisfied with introduction and implementation of WBA. It gave the fellows opportunity to interact with assessors more often and learn from their rich experience. Gain in knowledge of PGs was identified from the statistically significant improvement in PGs’ assessment scores after WBA implementation.

Assessment of competences in rheumatology training: results of a systematic literature review to inform EULAR points to consider

ObjectiveTo summarise the literature on the assessment of competences in postgraduate medical training.MethodsA systematic literature review was performed within a EULAR taskforce on the assessment of competences in rheumatology training...

The Usefulness of Procedure-Based Assessments in Postgraduate Surgical Training Within the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme; A Scoping Review

Workplace-based assessments are a mandatory component of postgraduate surgical training within the United Kingdom and Ireland. Procedure-based assessments (PBAs) and direct observation of practical skills (DOPS) are integrated within the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme online platform and aim to assess trainees' performance in practical surgical skills; no reviews have previously investigated their educational usefulness in postgraduate surgical training. Usefulness was defined by the 5 criteria detailed by Van der Vleuten for determining the usefulness of educational assessment tools: validity; reliability; acceptability to learners and faculty; impact on future learning and practice; and costs (to the individual trainee, the institution, and society at large). Scoping review methodology was used to examine the educational usefulness of PBA and DOPS assessments in postgraduate surgical training. A literature search of Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases was undertaken. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses standards for systematic reviews were followed. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria, with 1368 trainees and trainers included. A variety of study methodologies were identified. Although there is some evidence for the validity and reliability of both PBA and DOPS assessments, further work is required in both these domains including on the number of assessments required to ensure satisfactory reliability. This is a research priority, especially if these assessments become a component of summative assessment of trainee competency. The literature indicates that these assessments are generally acceptable to learners and faculty but their acceptability is negatively impacted upon by uncertainty over whether these assessments constitute a formative or summative assessment of trainees. With regards to costs, correct use of PBAs does require allocated time and resources to ensure their correct use and this must be factored into trainer and trainee job plans. PBA and DOPS assessments are educationally useful tools in postgraduate surgical training. Further research is required to determine the number of assessments required to ensure adequate reliability. To ensure the educational benefits of these assessments are not diminished, clarification from postgraduate training schemes is required regarding whether these assessments an assessment for learning or an assessment of learning.

Acquisition of skills in digital rectal examination through supervised patient examination with real-time feedback in transrectal sonography room

ObjectiveTo assess the acquisition digital rectal examination (DRE) skills by medical students through an alternative teaching method. Materials and methodsMedical students at the National Cheng-Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan in 2009 were assigned to receive training through supervised rectal examination (DRE) with real-time feedback in a transrectal sonography room during their standard urologic rotation. Students completed a questionnaire (before and after the training) regarding their experiences in performing DRE to assess their confidence levels. Direct observation of practical skills (DOPS) was used to assess the students' competence in performing DRE at the end of urologic rotation. ResultsA total of 75 students received the questionnaire, of which 72 (96%) responded. On average, every student had an experience of 6.6 supervised patient examinations with real-time feedback in a transrectal sonography room. Following the training, students were more confident in their ability to give an opinion based on their findings related to DRE. The overall rate of the students' ability to interpret the DRE findings after urologic rotation improved from 69% to 100% for identification of the prostate, from 14% to 60% for assessment of prostate size, from 32% to 95% to describe prostate consistency accurately, and from 9.8% to 64% to identify overt prostate cancer from benign prostate hyperplasia. All students met expectations or were above expectations according to the grading scale of performing DOPS. ConclusionStudents' skills and confidence with regard to performing DRE were improved significantly through supervised examination with real-time feedback in a transrectal sonography room.

In‐training assessment developments in postgraduate education in Europe

This paper reviews changes that are underway in postgraduate medical education in various European countries. Training in the workplace is a very effective way of learning, but it has many imperfections. Changes in in-training assessment are proposed to remedy some of these. The focus is on a set of assessment tools for performance in authentic work-based contexts. These tools include direct performance measures of single clinical events (mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise, Direct Observation of Practical Skills, Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills, Case-based Discussion, Mini-Peer Assessment Tool) and performance measures over a period of time (Multi-Source Feedback), based on judgement by one or more knowledgeable assessors (supervisor, other healthcare professional, patient, trainee himself/herself). Quantitative and qualitative information from single assessments is first and foremost used to promote learning, but also aggregated across a large sample of contexts and assessors in order to obtain an overall picture of a trainee's progress. Aggregating instruments, such as the portfolio, can be used to collect, support and assess outcomes in terms of competencies achieved. We will describe this set of instruments and provide theoretical background as well as our own practical experiences. A central message is that the utility of assessment methods lies very much in the (understanding of) the users. Therefore, our concern is more with the actual implementation of change than with the assessment technology per se. If we fail in our efforts to implement real change, postgraduate education may be at risk for bureaucratization and trivialization. We nevertheless are excited to see change happening in the right direction, but remain patient, not expecting very quick wins.

Trainers' perceptions of the direct observation of practical skills assessment in histopathology training: a qualitative pilot study

AimsThis pilot study of the direct observation of practical skills (DOPS) assessment of histopathology trainees is needed in the absence of existing information on histopathology in the UK. The aim...