Summative Examination Research Articles

Exam prediction and the general Practice Registrar Competency Assessment Grid (GPR-CAG)

ABSTRACT Background In GP training, identifying early predictors of poor summative examination performance can be challenging. We aimed to establish whether external clinical teaching visit (ECTV) performance, measured using a validated instrument (GP Registrar Competency Assessment Grid, GPR-CAG) is predictive of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Fellowship examination performance. Methods A retrospective cohort study including GP registrars in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory with ECTV data recorded during their first training term (GPT1), between 2014 and 2018, who attempted at least one Fellowship examination. Independent variables of interest included the four GPR-CAG factors assessed in GPT1 (‘patient-centredness/caring’, ‘formulating hypotheses/management plans’, ‘professional responsibilities’, ‘physical examination skills’). Outcomes of interest included individual scores of the three summative examinations (Applied Knowledge Test (AKT); Key Feature Problem (KFP); and the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)) and overall Pass/Fail status. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed. Results Univariably, there were statistically significant associations (p < 0.01) between all four GPR-CAG factors and all four summative examination outcomes, except for ‘formulating hypotheses/management plans’ and OSCE score (p = 0.07). On multivariable analysis, each factor was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with at least one exam outcome, and ‘physical examination skills’ was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with all four exam outcomes. Discussion ECTV performance, via GPR-CAG scores, is predictive of RACGP Fellowship exam performance. The univariable findings highlight the pragmatic utility of ECTVs in flagging registrars who are at-risk of poor exam performance, facilitating early intervention. The multivariable associations of GPR-CAG scores and examination performance suggest that these scores provide predictive ability beyond that of other known predictors.

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Assessment is an important tool for determining the results of teaching and learning. Formative assessment is a form of students’ self-assessment, as well as a process, during which the teacher can evaluate the learning process. “Kahoot” is an online platform widely used in education to provide a feedback. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using “Kahoot” as a formative assessment tool during practical classes of Physiology. 111 second-year students of the General Medicine Faculty of YSMU took part in the study. The average summative examination grade was calculated for each group of students at the end of each academic semester. Formative assessments using “Kahoot” were administered during the first and second academic semesters. The results of each group’s semester exams were compared with the results of the next/previous semester, during which “Kahoot” was regularly used. Each “Kahoot” survey consists of 40 multiple-choice questions. 30–120 seconds was given for each question, depending on the difficulty of the question. According to the study, “Kahoot” is a tool that can increase students’ motivation, engagement, and provide formative assessment that can help students to improve their academic performance by providing useful and effective feedback throughout the semester. During the Physiology course, team-based learning was also organized using “Kahoot”, during which the cases related to physiology were discussed.

Integrating basic, clinical, and health system science in a medical neuroscience course of an integrated pre-clerkship curriculum.

Basic science, clinical science, and health system science (HSS) have become three pillars of integration upon which modern, post-Flexner, medical education is now based. Because of this new approach to curricular integration in a clinical presentation curruculum, medical training is now placed in the context of healthcare delivery. This study described the design, implementation, and assessment of an integrated teaching strategy, including the effect on students' performance in a medical neuroscience course's summative and formative examinations of an integrated clinical presentation curriculum. The integrated teaching of basic science content, clinical case discussion, and HSS was performed in the first year of an allopathic integrated pre-clerkship curriculum. The two cohorts were from two different years, spring 2018 and 2019. The acceptance of the integrated teaching strategy by medical students was above 80% in all categories that were assessed, including enhancing the integrated experience in learning basic and clinical science materials in the context of HSS; understanding of the learning lessons; facilitation of self-directed learning; provision of a better learning environment; and a holistic understanding of materials including the relevance of HSS issues in the discussion of neurological cases in the medical career of the students. More than 90% of the students scored ≥70% in summative questions mapped to the four learning objectives of the integrated teaching session. The objectives are the correlation of structure to specific functions (94.0 ± 0.21), clinical anatomical features of the nervous system (95.0 ± 0.27), cross-sectional features of the nervous system (96.0 ± 0.31), and the effect of lesions on the structure and functional pathways of the nervous system (97.0 ± 0.34). This result was significantly higher when compared to students' performance in the non-integrated teaching cohort (p < 0.05). Formative assessments (F(7,159) = 92.52, p < 0.001) were significantly different between the two groups. When medical students were evaluated using the same questions for formative assessment, they performed better in the integrated teaching cohort (*p < 0.05) compared to the non-integrated teaching cohort (**p < 0.05).

Evaluation of the eOSCE for testing clinical skills.

The OSCE is a proven instrument for testing practical skills of students, not only in the (veterinary) medical field. At the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (TiHo), students must complete a 10-week rotation in one of the university’s own clinics during the practical year in the 9th and 10th semesters in addition to other practical training. Within this framework, the first training for acquiring clinical practical skills with a formative examination (OSCE; Objective Structured Clinical Examination) was developed in the Clinical Skills Lab (CSL) in 2014. Since 2018, the TiHo has been the first veterinary medical training institution in Germany to conduct electronic OSCEs (eOSCEs). In the future, eOSCEs will also be introduced as a summative examination at the TiHo. For this reason, students in the practical year of the winter semester 2021/2022 and summer semester 2022 as well as former and current examiners were surveyed regarding their satisfaction with the eOSCE examination format as part of this study. The 175 analyzed questionnaires from students and 27 analyzed questionnaires from examiners showed a high level of satisfaction with the eOSCE overall, but at the same time indicated problems that should be ironed out before it is introduced as a summative examination in the state examination. In addition to its standardization and objectivity, the examination format also convinced with its quality-assurance review procedure and the direct feedback possibility with regard to the students’ performance.

Utilization of Summative Assessment in Physical Therapy Education to Establish Foundations of Clinical Science Knowledge

Purpose: Doctor of Physical Therapy [DPT] students’ ability to apply, integrate, and synthesize foundations of clinical science knowledge is vital to success in clinical practice. The aim of this case study was to explore summative examination quantification of foundational clinical science knowledge as a benchmark toward competence-based education in the first year of a DPT program. Methods: First year DPT students from a private New England University took the Physical Therapy Foundations of Clinical Science [PT-FCS] exam at the end of the second semester following completion of foundational clinical sciences coursework. The PT-FCS exam is a multiple-choice exam comprised of three clinical science categories: human anatomy, kinesiology, and neuroanatomy. Retrospective analysis of PT-FCS exam scores for 223 students over three cohort years was performed to investigate test reliability by cohort and relationships with first year cumulative GPA and progression in the program. Results: PT-FCS scores were reliable across 3 cohorts: 2019, 2020, 2021 (KR20 = 0.74-0.82). Exam scores showed significant (p = 0.01 two-tailed) moderate correlations with current core course GPA with Pearson Correlation coefficients by individual cohorts (r = .70, .73, and .80) and all cohorts combined (r = .73). Conclusion: A retrospective analysis of three years of data informs validation of the PT-FCS for use as an assessment touchpoint to quantify foundational clinical science knowledge in first-year doctoral physical therapy students. Findings of this first-year learner performance outcome may contribute to development of longitudinal benchmarks for assessing disciplinary specific knowledge of foundational clinical science and to inform educational frameworks necessary for clinical competency in physical therapy education. Ultimate predictive ability, and educational value, of summative testing of foundational clinical science will be explored in future categorical and item level analysis in order move toward more competency-based teaching and learning in physical therapy.

The Impact of Periodic Formative Assessments on Learning Through the Lens of the Complex Adaptive System and Social Sustainability Principles.

Medical institutions in India have employed different periodic formative assessment (FA) methods with variable impact. The formative evaluation must incorporate feedback to improve learning. Formative assessment has helped inexperienced students apprehend their weaknesses, make choices, prepare for summative exams, and allow teachers to identify regions wherein students may also need aid. This study attempts to quantify the impact of the weekly, monthly, and semesterformative assessments and view it retrospectively through the lens of complex adaptive systems and social sustainability principles. We used a post-exam survey and statistical analysis to compare the students' performance between the timely periodic formative assessments in a competency-based curriculum. The cohort consisted of 2018 (semester), 2019 (weekly), and 2020 (monthly) first-year medical students. Cronbach alpha, spearman's correlation coefficient, descriptive statistics, and repeated measure analysis of variance were used to explore the reliability and relationship between formative assessment and summative scores of each cohort and find any significant difference. The authors also analyzed the accordance between the FA exam performance and students' perceptions, deduced broad themes, and discussed the appropriateness and feasibility of students' suggestions for changes. A significant correlation was found only between the weekly formative assessment and summative scores (r=0.74, p=0.01). Theanalysis of variance established significant differences betweenall summative scores of respective periodic formative assessments. The weekly formative assessment showed the highest mean summative examination scores. This study helped comprehend preclinical students' apprehension after the intervention of periodic formative assessments. The students found this intervention helpful in driving and detecting gaps in learning but preferred focused feedback, clinically oriented practices, and countered mental health issues. The continuous periodic formative assessment model had a valid educational impact but was not sustainable according to social sustainability principles. A complex adaptive framework can be utilized to make it sustainable.

Perception of Students and Faculties for OSCE as A Tool for Assessment of Clinical Competence in Summative Examination of General Medicine

Perception of Students and Faculties for OSCE as A Tool for Assessment of Clinical Competence in Summative Examination of General Medicine

The Flipped Classroom: Enhancing Self-confidence among Adolescents Studying Chemistry

One of the key aims of post-primary education in Ireland is to develop all aspects of the individual, such as the creative, critical, and intellectual to prepare them for working life, for living in the community, and for leisure. Student self-confidence and student agency are critical to the students’ development at this stage. The flipped classroom is a model within the blended learning pedagogy and is one that has gained considerable attention in educational circles since school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The benefits of the flipped classroom toward developing student self-confidence are noteworthy. However, at the national and international level, the vast majority of research on the flipped classroom is third-level focused. This paper discusses a number of issues that arose from data collected from research carried out by the author and how the flipped classroom could benefit adolescents preparing for the Irish Leaving Certificate Chemistry summative examination. The results obtained in this study are significant as little research has been carried out on the implementation of the flipped classroom within an Irish secondary school setting. Video lessons are often seen as the core resource in the implementation of the flipped classroom. However, video lessons alone were insufficient for developing student self-confidence. Students required multiple resources, particularly resources focused on assessment, to bolster their self-esteem. It was found that the successful implementation of the flipped classroom was achievable, but scaffolding was required for these adolescents. Some scaffolding was also required initially for teachers as almost all teachers involved in this study were not familiar with the flipped classroom concept. Teachers required a guide in terms of the implementation of new teaching methods. The technology is currently available to create high quality resources for the flipped classroom; however, in respect to policy development, the support for online learning should be pedagogy led as opposed to technology led.

Effective Feedback Strategy for Formative Assessment in an Integrated Medical Neuroscience Course.

Despite the different benefits of formative assessments in an integrated medical curriculum, the effective strategies to provide feedback to medical students to benefit from the different merits of formative assessment are not fully understood. This study aims to determine the effect of different strategies of formative feedback on students' outcomes in a medical neuroscience course. We compared medical students' performance in summative examinations in the academic year that formative feedback was provided using in-person discussion and compared such performances with the academic year when the feedback was provided by written rationales or a combination of written rationales and in-person discussion. We also surveyed medical students' preferences for whether written or in-person formative feedback is a better strategy to provide feedback at the end of each course. ANOVA found a significant difference in summative performance scores for those scoring ≥ 70% when formative feedback was provided by providing a rationale, in-person, and a combination of both ([F (2,80) = 247.60, P < 0.001]. Post hoc analysis revealed a significant and highest performance when feedback was provided using the written rationale approach (***P < 0.05), followed by in-person (**P < 0.05). In contrast, the least performance was recorded when formative feedback was provided using a combination of providing a written rationale for the answers to the questions and in-person discussion of the questions (*P < 0.05). Students' preferred approach for receiving formative feedback for their formative assessment was highest for written rationale (***P < 0.05), followed by in-person or a combination of in-person and written rationale (**P < 0.05). Our results found that medical students preferred a written formative feedback approach, which was associated with better student performance on the summative examination. This study reveals the importance of developing effective strategies to provide formative feedback to medical students for medical students to fully benefit from the merits of formative assessment in an integrated medical school curriculum.

Student Performance Outcomes and Perceptions in Two Content Areas in Conventional Versus Integrated Pharmacy Curricula

Objective. To compare student performance measures and perceptions of learning in 2 content areas, conventional and integrated pharmacy curricula, at a single institution.Methods. Prospective cohort study of pharmacy students enrolled in either conventional (cohort C) or integrated (cohort I) curricula. Summative examination performance in the neuropsychiatric and infectious diseases courses, student self-rating of confidence and comfort in integrating and applying knowledge, and performance on a delayed knowledge assessment were compared between cohorts.Results. Cohort I students performed significantly lower on summative assessments compared to cohort C (78.4±9.1 vs 84.5±8.3, respectively). Prior to the integrated course, cohort I students rated themselves as significantly less confident and comfortable in knowledge integration, application, and communication compared to cohort C students; these differences were attenuated in a follow-up survey, although some remained significant. There was no difference between cohorts in performance on objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) or on a delayed knowledge assessment of neuropsychiatric and infectious diseases content.Conclusion. Pharmacy students in an integrated curriculum initially performed modestly worse in summative assessments and self-assessed their baseline knowledge as lower than did students in a conventional curriculum. However, differences in self-rated knowledge decreased at follow-up, and performance of the two cohorts on OSCEs and a delayed examination was similar. As pharmacy curricula shift towards integrated models, institutions should also consider evaluating experiential performance outcomes and student motivation to fully assess the impact of these transitions.

Weiterbildung Urologie in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz (DACH-Raum) unter der Lupe

Specialist titles are mutually recognized in the DACH (Germany [D], Austria [A], and Switzerland [CH]) region. During continuing education, however, there are significant differences in structure, organization and content. Organization, formalities and responsibilities, as well as admission requirements for the final examinations, in particular the examination formats in the DACH countries will be examined. In addition, these will be critically examined from the perspective of modern medical education. Documents publicly available on the Internet from the responsible authorities for continuing medical education in the DACH region were analyzed. In addition, a narrative review of the literature in medical databases on the topic of continuing medical education in urology was performed. The minimum duration of residency is 5 (D) to 6years (A, CH). Basic (surgical) training is mandatory in Austria and Switzerland. In Switzerland, the training site must be changed at least once. Part-time training is possible in all countries. Research and participation in annual congresses are mandatory only in Switzerland. Formative examinations are only required in Switzerland. In all countries, at least one summative examination is required to obtain the specialist title. In Austria and Switzerland, the written part of the European Board of Urology (EBU) examination must be passed. From a medical education perspective, Switzerland currently offers and demands the most modern elements in specialist training. The certified structured continuing education modelled on the "Deutschen Gesellschaft für Urologie" (DGU; "Weiterbildungscurriculum Urologie", WECU) in Germany integrates modern approaches in Germany. With timely implementation of, for example, entrustable professional activities (EPAs), urology in German-speaking countries could be pioneering nations and disciplines internationally.

A study of validity and usability evidence for non-technical skills assessment tools in simulated adult resuscitation scenarios

BackgroundNon-technical skills (NTS) assessment tools are widely used to provide formative and summative assessment for healthcare professionals and there are now many of them. This study has examined three different tools designed for similar settings and gathered evidence to test their validity and usability.MethodsThree NTS assessment tools designed for use in the UK were used by three experienced faculty to review standardized videos of simulated cardiac arrest scenarios: ANTS (Anesthetists’ Non-Technical Skills), Oxford NOTECHS (Oxford NOn-TECHnical Skills) and OSCAR (Observational Skill based Clinical Assessment tool for Resuscitation). Internal consistency, interrater reliability and quantitative and qualitative analysis of usability were analyzed for each tool.ResultsInternal consistency and interrater reliability (IRR) varied considerably for the three tools across NTS categories and elements. Intraclass correlation scores of three expert raters ranged from poor (task management in ANTS [0.26] and situation awareness (SA) in Oxford NOTECHS [0.34]) to very good (problem solving in Oxford NOTECHS [0.81] and cooperation [0.84] and SA [0.87] in OSCAR). Furthermore, different statistical tests of IRR produced different results for each tool. Quantitative and qualitative examination of usability also revealed challenges in using each tool.ConclusionsThe lack of standardization of NTS assessment tools and training in their use is unhelpful for healthcare educators and students. Educators require ongoing support in the use of NTS assessment tools for the evaluation of individual healthcare professionals or healthcare teams. Summative or high-stakes examinations using NTS assessment tools should be undertaken with at least two assessors to provide consensus scoring. In light of the renewed focus on simulation as an educational tool to support and enhance training recovery in the aftermath of COVID-19, it is even more important that assessment of these vital skills is standardized, simplified and supported with adequate training.

Effect of Workplace-Based Assessment Utilization as a Formative Assessment for Learning Among Family Medicine Postgraduates at the Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University: A Prospective Study.

Background Workplace-based assessment (WBA) is a group of assessment approaches that assesses the trainees' performance through their observation and monitoring in real clinical settings and then provides them with constructive and relevant feedback. Many WBA tools are available, including the mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX), direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS), case-based discussions, and multisource feedback (peers, seniors, and patients). A WBAcan help medical students improve their clinical competencies and ensure that qualified physicians graduate. Methods This prospective study was done in the family medicine department at the Menoufia Faculty of Medicine in Egypt and passed through two phases. Phase I was introducing an orientation lecture for family medicine staff and a convenient sample of 21 family medicine postgraduates about WBA. Phase II was conducting a monthly mini-CEX and DOPS for the postgraduates. Finally, students' satisfaction with the WBA was assessed, and all collected data were analyzed via Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results A total of 105 feedback sheets were obtained. These feedback sheets were subdivided into 63 mini-CEX feedback sheets (21 sheets from each mini-CEX session for three sessions) and 42 DOPS feedback sheets (21 sheets from each DOPS session for two sessions), all of which were collected and analyzed. A significant improvement was detected in the mini-CEX and DOPS feedback scores of the postgraduates throughout the consecutive sessions (9.5 ± 2.7, 24.9 ± 2.5, 27.29 ± 1.5) (P < 0.001) for Mini-CEX and (6.1 ± 1.8 versus 9.0 ± 1.2) (P < 0.001) for DOPS. About 93% of the postgraduates recommended the application of WBA for their peers, and 86% of them requested to perform it again for other different clinical cases and procedures. Conclusion Workplace-based assessment in the form of Mini-CEX and DOPS revealed its ability to improve clinical knowledge and skills among family medicine postgraduates who became motivated to undergo it again in search of improving their clinical performance and reducing their stresses related to final summative and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs).

Independent and creative learning in a Digital Electronics course using a web‐based circuit simulator

AbstractThis paper illustrates the teaching approaches to assessment that foster independent learning in an undergraduate course in the discipline of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. A web‐based circuit simulator of CircuitLab was used to implement some of the laboratory tasks. Practical solutions have been applied to bridge the learning achievement gap between the formative laboratory assessment and the summative examination. To promote creative and independent learning, unique individual self‐discovery projects were given to each student. The projects are generated according to each student's student number in an innovative approach to prevent plagiarism. The scaffolding and self‐discovery lab activities can be modified to be pure online versions, which had been attested in the online course delivery during the COVID‐19 lockdown period in 2020.

Analysis of Pre-clerkship Medical Students' Perceptions and Performance During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Virtual instruction became the primary educational delivery method for pre-clerkship medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual and blended pre-clerkship curriculum and to assess its impact on students. We surveyed 223 1st- and 2nd-year medical students (MS1s and MS2s) enrolled at the Paul L Foster School of Medicine. We analyzed student satisfaction with their courses, along with summative exam scores, compared to previous academic years. The survey was completed by 125 of 223 students (56%). Most students changed their study methods (78%), experienced technical issues (85%), and had difficulty communicating with faculty (62%). MS1s were significantly more likely than MS2s to report difficulty in adjusting to virtual instruction (p = 0.037) and a negative impact on their learning skills (p = 0.005) and academic performance (p = 0.003). Students reported the virtual environment negatively affected their social skills (77%), connectedness to peers (89%), and professional development (62%). MS1s were more likely than MS2s to perceive a negative effect on their sense of wellness (p = 0.002). The overall satisfaction with the courses was similar to previous academic years. Student performance in the summative examination of the first virtually delivered unit was lower (p = 0.007) than the previous year's cohorts. The difference in MS1s and MS2s perceptions of virtual and blended instruction highlights the importance of face-to-face learning during the first year. Benefits and drawbacks were identified which may help inform educators when designing future learning models. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01723-6.

A comparative study of National Senior Certificate summative assessments of poetry for four South African official languages at Home Language proficiency

Over the centuries, summative assessment has entrenched itself as a powerful socio-political and educational tool for determining success, or a lack thereof, and is thus critical for shaping a learner’s life. This was particularly prevalent during the apartheid era in South Africa when racially differentiated curricula were crafted. This led to severely dysfunctional assessment practices. However, in recognition of the diversity of the nation, with its 11 official languages, and in an attempt to afford all languages equal status, at its inception in 2009, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) established a common language curriculum and guidelines for the high-stakes Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination. This so-called ‘equality’, however, is scrutinised in this paper, with specific reference to the assessment of poetry, a literary genre that is generally thought to be cognitively demanding. This paper investigates the similarities and dissimilarities in the Grade 12 NSC summative examination practices of four selected dominant languages studied at the Home Language (HL) level of proficiency, i.e., English HL, Afrikaans HL, isiZulu HL and Sesotho HL. Drawing on Moodley’s (2018) skills-specific knowledge for validity in the assessment of poetry, Barrett’s Taxonomy of Reading Comprehension for cognitive levels, and Umalusi’s (Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training) criteria for determining the comparability of NSC examination papers, this paper analyses the poetry component of Paper 2 (Literature) from three sets of examinations: October/November 2019, 2020 and 2021. The paper concludes on the degree of comparability and incomparability among the four languages regarding structural and technical presentation; mark allocation and cognitive weighting; cognitive levels and scaffolding of questions; instructional verbs and degree of difficulty; validity; and the washback effect.

A study to assess students’ performance in theory and practical components of final summative pharmacology examination in Non-CBME and CBME curriculum

Background: Competency-based medical education (CBME) has transformed the MBBS curriculum and aims to emphasize the five roles of an Indian medical graduates: clinician, leader, communicator, life-long learner, and professional. Accordingly, various changes have been made in the curriculum and assessment of Phase II students in pharmacology since 2019. The scores in the theory component have changed from 110 to 200, and those in the practical component have changed from 40 to 100. Aims and Objectives: To assess performance of students in the theory and practical components of the final summative pharmacology examination under the CBME curriculum (Batch 2019–20) with the earlier non-CBME curriculum (Batch 2018–19). Materials and Methods: A record-based observational study was conducted at a medical college in Kolkata. The percentage of marks obtained by students in theory and practical components in the CBME batch and in the non-CBME batch (inter-batch comparison) were compared by using an unpaired Student’s t-test. Further scores in theory and practical components were also compared for each batch (intra-batch comparison). Results: Average marks obtained by the students of the non-CBME batch (n = 250) and CBME batch (n = 242) in the theory exam were 64.36% ± 6.14 and 63.69% ± 6.77, and in the practical exam they were 71.51% ± 8.58 and 71.04% ± 6.54, respectively. There is no statistically significant difference in the theory and practical components between non-CBME and CBME batches. The performance in the practical examination compared to the theory examination was significantly better in both the non-CBME and CBME batches (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Major changes and modifications have been made in the curriculum due to the incorporation of CBME. Over the years, more data can be generated on students’ ability to adapt to the CBME curriculum and improve their learning.

Correlative and Comparative Study Assessing Use of a Mock Examination in a Pharmaceutical Calculations Course

Objective. Faculty at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University's School of Pharmacy-Worcester/Manchester are engaged in continuous quality improvement of their teaching and assessment methods to prepare students for successful careers in pharmacy. This study evaluated the impact of a formative mock examination on student performance on a main summative examination (main examination) administered during the spring 2020 semester of a pharmaceutical calculations course.Methods. A retrospective analysis of student test scores in a summative assessment (main examination) was performed across two cohort years (2019 and 2020) during which students were not administered and administered a formative mock exam, respectively. Central tendency and comparative analysis measures were performed to assess differences in student performance.Results. Out of 237 students enrolled, 221 students participated in the optional mock exam, and all 237 students participated in the main examination, with average scores for the mock examination and the main examination being 67% and 94%, respectively. Ninety-two students who received a grade C or better on their mock examination had a main examination average score (98%) that was significantly higher than those who received a D or F (n=129, main average score of 92%). Further, the average score in the 2020 examination was significantly higher when compared to the 2019 examination when no mock examination was offered (94% vs 77%, respectively).Conclusion. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study to understand the differences in student performance in a summative assessment across two cohort years with and without a formative mock assessment. The results demonstrate that the formative mock examination was correlated with better performance among students but did not establish a causal relationship.

Effectiveness of implementation of formative assessments as a part of competency-based medical education on summative assessment: A pilot study

Background: Assessment is an essential part of each and every education, which represents the learning of a student. If the assessments are performed regularly, it inspires active study habits and inevitably enhance learning. Aim and Objectives: Formative assessments, which are performed regularly, increase the effectiveness of the learning. Hence, we aimed to observe the effectiveness of spaced formative assessments on the performance of students in summative assessments. Materials and Methods: We selected 250 first-year medical students from the 22 to 23 batch. The students were categorized into three groups on the basis of formative assessment performance. Group I did not appear in the formative assessment, Group II scored &lt;50% in the formative assessment, and Group III scored more than 50% in the formative assessment. Multiple comparisons of scores of summative assessments between different groups were done using ANOVA. Scores of formative assessment and summative assessments were correlated using Pearson correlation. Results: We got a statistically significant difference (P &lt; 0.05) in mean summative assessment scores in different groups. Again, the analysis showed formative assessments had a significant (P &lt; 0.05) relationship with summative assessment performance. Conclusion: The performance of formative assessments is predictive of summative examination scores. Academically poor medical students will be benefited from formative assessments.

Comparison of multiple choice questions and very short answer type questions to assess different levels of cognition among medical undergraduates

Introduction: Very short answer type questions (VSAQs) and multiple choice questions (MCQs) are markedly effective assessment tools for regular formative evaluation at the end of each class. However, their relative efficacy for assessing higher cognitive domain of the students and to prepare them for summative examinations is still inconclusive. Methods: The effectivity of VSAQs and MCQs was analyzed to assess different cognitive levels among 1st-year MBBS students as regular formative assessment tools. Ten MCQs and 10 VSAQs of both average and higher cognitive domains were given at the end of each learning session to all students throughout their first semester for 4 months. At the end of first-semester examination, mean scores for MCQs and VSAQs from both domains were calculated for each student and compared with their semester marks. Results: In comparison to MCQs, students obtained significantly higher marks in VSAQs at both medium and higher cognitive levels. A significant positive association was found between the semester marks and scores of VSAQs irrespective of their cognitive level. On the other hand, students obtaining higher marks in MCQs having higher cognitive levels only showed a positive correlation with their semester scores. Conclusion: For regular end of the class formative assessments, MCQs become efficient tools only when they contain elements of higher cognition with problem-solving approach. Otherwise, students are more comfortable with VSAQs and give a better response with a positive correlation with periodical summative assessments for all cognitive levels.