APGO

Background: OB/GYN faculty members at three teaching hospitals, who administered the traditional oral exam (TOE) to clerkship students during 2009-2015, were invited to complete a survey prior to implementation of SOE and then one year post-implementation.

Methods: The surveys included 6 items on measuring the feasibility and the usefulness with a 5-point-Likert scale, and 2 open-ended items. Multivariate regression, t-test, and thematic analysis were applied.

Results: Survey response rates were 64.1% (50/78, TOE) and 65.8% (25/38, perceived changes in SOE). Overall 81% faculty agreed SOE would be a more objective assessment tool than TOE. Faculty responded that SOE compared to TOE was significantly more objective (4.4 vs. 3.5, p=0.006) and useful in assessing students’ overall clerkship performance (3.74 vs. 3.56, p=0.04).  The perceived objectivity significantly correlated with faculty‘s assumed time commitment (p=0.006), assessment of students’ clinical knowledge (p=0.03), and knowledge application (p=0.0006). Faculty also had higher satisfaction of SOE’s required time commitment; 100% faculty indicated they would like to participate in a SOE again. Compared to TOE, faculty reported SOE was more useful in assessing students’ clinical knowledge, knowledge application, reasoning, and professionalism. TOE, however, seemed to outperform SOE in evaluating students’ communication skills (4.2 vs. 4.25).

Discussions: OB/GYN faculty indicated that SOE was a more feasible, objective, and useful way to assess clerkship students’ clinical competencies and overall clerkship performance than TOE.  

Keywords: Curriculum Development/Evaluation, Faculty Development, Student Affairs