Measurement Issues
Measurement Issues
 
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Session title:

Measurement Issues in Medical Licensure and Certification

Education Researchers Examine Improvements to Medical School’s Physician Assessments

The USMLE® Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS®) examination is a standardized-patient (SP)–based assessment that assesses readiness of physicians to enter supervised practice. The examination is undergoing changes in the constructs being measured. One change is to the patient note (PN), a written communications component that is being modified to include an explicit measure of clinical reasoning. The Patient Note (PN) currently requires examinees to summarize the patient history and physical examination and list possible diagnoses and follow-up tests. However, the PN does not provide examinees with an opportunity to support their diagnoses. Thus, in scoring notes, raters are forced to make assumptions regarding examinees’ understanding of the case. Researchers analyzed data from pilot studies to assess the impact of changes on examinee time use and the relationship between PN time and scores. Preliminary results suggest examinees are using more time on the new PN, with a widening gap between U.S. and international medical graduates. Results will have implications for time limits and components of Step 2 CS in the future.

Sponsor:

Division I - Education in the Professions

Schedule Information:

Time: Tuesday, April 17, 12:25 p.m.–1:55 p.m.  

Building/Room: Vancouver Convention Centre, First Level - West Room 114&115

Session Participants:

The Impact of Changes to the Written Communication Construct on Examinee Performance and Pacing: Findings From the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) Step 2 Clinical Skills 2011 Pilot Examinations

Kimberly A. Swygert (National Board of Medical Examiners)Su G. Baldwin (National Board of Medical Examiners)Thomas Rebbecchi (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates)Colette Scott (National Board of Medical Examiners)Gail E. Furman (National Board of Medical Examiners),Jeannette M. Sanger (National Board of Medical Examiners)

Certified Internist’s Knowledge of the Care for Underserved Patients

Rebecca S. Lipner (American Board of Internal Medicine)Rebecca A. Baranowski (American Board of Internal Medicine)Michelle Johnston-Fleece (American Board of Internal Medicine)

Assessment of Clinical Reasoning: Effect of Case Characteristics on Raters

Danette W. McKinley (Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research)Thomas Rebbecchi (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates)

Assessing the Psychometric Impact of Enhancements to the Documentation Component of the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) Step 2 CS

Su G. Baldwin (National Board of Medical Examiners)Polina Harik (National Board of Medical Examiners)Kimberly A. Swygert (National Board of Medical Examiners)Brian E. Clauser (National Board of Medical Examiners)Thomas Rebbecchi (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates)

Discussant: Rebecca A. Baranowski (American Board of Internal Medicine) 

Chair: Anthony R. Artino (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)