Background:Most of the academic teachers use four or five options per item of multiple choice question (MCQ) test as formative and summative assessment. Optimal number of options in MCQ item is a matter of considerable debate among academic teachers of various educational fields. There is a scarcity of the published literature regarding the optimum number of option in each item of MCQ in the field of medical education.Objectives:To compare three options, four options, and five options MCQs test for the quality parameters – reliability, validity, item analysis, distracter analysis, and time analysis.Materials and Methods:Participants were 3rd semester M.B.B.S. students. Students were divided randomly into three groups. Each group was given one set of MCQ test out of three options, four options, and five option randomly. Following the marking of the multiple choice tests, the participants’ option selections were analyzed and comparisons were conducted of the mean marks, mean time, validity, reliability and facility value, discrimination index, point biserial value, distracter analysis of three different option formats.Results:Students score more (P = 0.000) and took less time (P = 0.009) for the completion of three options as compared to four options and five options groups. Facility value was more (P = 0.004) in three options group as compared to four and five options groups. There was no significant difference between three groups for the validity, reliability, and item discrimination. Nonfunctioning distracters were more in the four and five options group as compared to three option group.Conclusion:Assessment based on three option MCQs is can be preferred over four option and five option MCQs.

Background: Studying the knowledge and attitude of medical students towards emergency contraception, as they are the future medical professionals and they will serve as the main channel for providing proper knowledge and making positive impression of it in general population. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of undergraduate medical students towards emergency contraception.Methods: Medical students were given pre-validated questionnaire and divided in two groups. Group A students did not learn about emergency contraception, whereas group B students learnt about it. Interview of both groups were conducted separately. For group A, 1 hour seminar was conducted and after 7 days, same questionnaire was provided again for data collection.Results: 154 students were included in group A whereas 162 students in group B. Average knowledge and attitude was significantly increased after seminar in group A [knowledge 41±16.88% vs. 59.32±14.46%; P<0.05; attitude 36.24±10.93 vs. 41.5±10.87; P<0.05]. Average knowledge of group B students was 64.73±12.15% whereas average attitude score was 42.9±9.79. Amongst all, 86.4%, 87% and 89.3% students were not able to describe about emergency contraception, different methods and advantages of intra-uterine device as emergency contraception, respectively. There are 82.1% students showed positive interest in learning more about emergency contraception and 70.1% agreed to recommend its use in future. Students having good knowledge showed more positive attitude towards emergency contraception [r= 0.41, P<0.05].Conclusions: Students have poor knowledge of special issues arises with emergency contraception. Proper attention should be given to these aspects during their teaching. Students have shown their positive interest to learn more about emergency contraception. Objective based seminar will be more helpful in improving knowledge and attitude.

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