Improving oral examinations: selecting, training, and monitoring examiners for the MRCGP

Wakeford, Richard; Southgate, Lesley; Wass, Val

doi:10.1136/bmj.311.7010.931

Cited by 67 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Traditional oral examinations consist of a dialogue or discussion with the examiner who asks questions to which candidate must reply. Orals give the examiner the unique opportunity to explore students' depth of knowledge as well as their ability to express it in a precise manner.They are used for their flexibility and potential for testing higher cognitive skills [1]. Oral examinations are appealing because of their high face validity, their flexibility and the possibility that they measure aspects of clinical competence that are perhaps not tapped in written examinations [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction of Structured Oral Examination as A Novel Assessment tool to First Year Medical Students in Physiology

Shenwai

Patil

2013

JCDR

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Background: The traditional viva examination which is still predominantly used in most of the medical institutions as one of the assessment methods has some demerits like lack of standardization, objectivity & reliability. The process involves many faculty members from respective departments. Hence there can be variations in the time allotted to each student, number of questions asked, and difficulty level of the questions. These can be resolved by structuring the oral examination to make it a better assessment tool. The present study was conducted to introduce structured oral examination (SOE) as a novel assessment tool to first year M.B.B.S. students in Physiology and evaluating the process by taking feedback from the students and faculty. Material and Methods:All the subjects [first year M.B.B.S. students (n=100)] were initially assessed by traditional viva. Feedback in the form of a questionnaire was collected from the students. Questionnaire included various questions based on Likert scale and numerical value for each response was decided. Topic for the structured oral examination was decided

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction of Structured Oral Examination as A Novel Assessment tool to First Year Medical Students in Physiology

Shenwai

Patil

2013

JCDR

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“…There is evidence in the literature showing that examiners' training helps to standardize the exam. [8][9][10] In EDIC part 2, each candidate faces 9 different examiners who are carefully selected (ESICM-SOP) and have passed a standardized training, 11 which includes a mandatory train-the-examiner course and pre-exam workshop. In addition, before becoming an active examiner, it is mandatory to observe at least one session of the exam.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors associated with success in the oral part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care

Waldauf

Rubulotta

Sitzwohl

et al. 2017

Journal of the Intensive Care Society

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Introduction: The oral part of European Diploma in Intensive Care diploma examinations changed in 2013 into an objective structured clinical examination-type exam. This step was undertaken to provide a fair and reproducible clinical exam. All candidates face identical questions with predefined correct answers simultaneously in seven high throughput exam centres on the same day. We describe the factors that are associated with success in part 2 European Diploma in Intensive Care exam. Methods: We prospectively collected self-reported data from all candidates sitting European Diploma in Intensive Care part 2 in 2015, namely demographics, professional background and attendance to a European Diploma in Intensive Care part 2 or generic objective structured clinical examination preparatory courses. After testing association with success (with cutoff at p < 0.10) and co-linearity of these factors as independent variables, we performed a multivariate logistical analysis, with binary exam outcome (pass/fail) as the dependent variable. Structural equation modelling was used to gain further insight into relations among determinants of success in the oral part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care. Results: Out of 427 candidates sitting the exam, completed data from 341 (80%) were available for analysis. The following candidates' factors were associated with increased chance of success: English as native language (odds ratio 4.3 (95% CI 1.7-10.7)), use of Patient-centred Acute Care Training e-learning programme module (odds ratios 2.0 (1.2-3.3)), working in an EU country (odds ratios 2.5 (1.5-4.3)), and better results in the written part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care (for each additional SD of 6.1 points odds ratios 1.9 (1.4-2.4)). Chance of success in the European Diploma in Intensive Care 2 decreased with increased candidates 'age (for each additional SD of 5.5 years odds ratios 0.67 (0.51-0.87)). Exam centres (7 in total) could be clustered into 3 groups with similar success rates. There were significant differences in exam outcomes among these 3 groups of exam centres even after adjustment to known candidates' factors (G1 vs G2 odds ratios 2.4 (1.4-4.1); G1 vs G3 odds ratios 9.7 (4.0-23.1) and G2 vs G3 odds ratios 3.9 (1.7-9.2)). A short data collection period (only one year) and 20% of missing candidates' data are the main limitations of this study. Conclusions: Younger age, English as native language, better results in written part of the exam, working at a European country and the use of PACT for preparation, were factors associated with success in the oral part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care exam. Despite the limitations of this study, the differences in outcome among the exam centres will need further investigation.

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“…The authors note that language could be an issue and refer to Canadian findings that ''language pervades tests whose primary intent is to assess medical matters'' (It should be noted that the authors use the term 'Asian' to refer to the Indian sub-continent). Wakefield et al (1995) noted a range of problems that can arise during oral examinations and errors that can occur in subsequently judging candidates' performances. The former include dysfunctional starts, difficulty in covering the ground fast enough and slowly spoken candidates.…”

Section: Oral Assessment In Postgraduate Medical Examinationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oral assessment and postgraduate medical examinations: establishing conditions for validity, reliability and fairness

Memon

Joughin

Memon

2008

Adv in Health Sci Educ

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The purpose of this review was to examine the practice of oral assessment in postgraduate medical education in the context of the core assessment constructs of validity, reliability and fairness. Although oral assessment has a long history in the certification process of medical specialists and is a well-established part of such proceedings for a wide range of specialties in most countries, there remains concern regarding its use. Therefore, there has been some move away from oral assessment for postgraduate medical education in some countries. This review also highlights the complexity of oral assessment as an examination format, partly through a consideration of the six dimensions of oral assessment, and raises concerns about the validity, reliability and fairness of such an assessment procedure for the award of certification of completion of the specialist training. Supporting high quality published research into examination practices and outcomes and acting on the findings of such research is needed urgently to allay concerns about the transparency and fairness of these examinations, especially when assessing international medical graduates. The article concludes by proposing 15 conditions under which oral assessment is valid, reliable and fair. PMID: 18386152 [PubMed -indexed for MEDLINE]

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Improving oral examinations: selecting, training, and monitoring examiners for the MRCGP

Cited by 67 publications

References 8 publications

Introduction of Structured Oral Examination as A Novel Assessment tool to First Year Medical Students in Physiology

Introduction of Structured Oral Examination as A Novel Assessment tool to First Year Medical Students in Physiology

Factors associated with success in the oral part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care

Oral assessment and postgraduate medical examinations: establishing conditions for validity, reliability and fairness

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