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RESULTS
Student performance on Clinical science vignettes
correlated nearly as well as the overall Med 2 scores
with Step 1 results, even though vignette questions
accounted for a smaller portion of the exams than
recall questions. Further, performance on vignette
items was more accurate in predicting which
students were at risk for USMLE Step 1 failure. No
single performance criterion that was examined,
however, provided an absolute correlation with
USMLE Step 1 scores for every student.
CONCLUSIONS
The most accurate prediction of USMLE Step 1
performance requires utilization of a combination of
category scores. This performance data will better
identify those students at risk, and will aid in
evaluating areas of strength and weakness.
Assessment Abstract ID: 109
LEARNING BY QUIZ: BASIC INSTINCTS
FOR BASIC TISSUES IN HISTOLOGY
Raj Ettarh and David Jerrett, Tulane University
School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, U.S.A
PURPOSE
One routinely used method of evaluating learning is
to test student knowledge by quiz or examination.
Students understand this approach - an
appreciation that has led to the dictum "assessment
drives learning". This study explored the idea that
increased frequency of testing should cause students
to prepare more frequently for assessment and thus
improve learning.
METHODS
First year medical students taking a histology course
were assessed, over a 3-week period, for recall of
information relating to recognition of cell and tissue
characteristics. Performance between tested and untested
students in multiple choice formatted quizzes
administered prior to and immediately following
each histology laboratory, and in practical and
written components of one summative examination,
was evaluated.
RESULTS
In tested students, there was an improvement in
post-lab quiz performance over pre-lab performance
in 50% of quizzes. Tested students demonstrated
better recall of information for identifying cell and
tissue characteristics in the practical component of
the summative assessment than they showed during
quizzes but there was no significant difference in
this ability or in recall of didactic information when
compared to students who were not quizzed in lab
during this period.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that quizzes are useful for
identification skills and knowledge acquisition in
histology but the use of quizzes may need to take
account of other factors and circumstances to
achieve benefits for students.
Assessment Abstract ID: 110
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF FIRST
YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS IN TAMIL
NADU, INDIA
Mayil Vahanan Natarajan 1 , Sivasangeetha K 2 , R.
Srilakshmi 3 , S. Mini Jacob 4 , Mohan Das Joe
Chandra 4 . 1 Vice Chancellor, The Tamil Nadu Dr
MGR Medical University, Chennai, India
2 Controller of Examinations, The Tamil Nadu Dr
MGR Medical University, Chennai, India
3 Registrar, The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical
University, Chennai, India 4 Deputy Controllers of
Examination, The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical
University, Chennai, India
PURPOSE
There are 27 Medical Colleges in Tamil Nadu
affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical
University. The different components of the
examinations include Theory, Viva voce,
clinical/practical and internal assessments. The
objective of this study was to assess the examination
performance of 1st year MBBS students against each
component as per the University regulations and to
compare the results with the national medical
examination guidelines of India.
METHODS
Medical Students scores were collected from the
database after the examinations for the following
subjects of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry.
Each had Paper I and II. A candidate is said to have
passed in a subject if he/she has scored 50% of
marks in each component as per University
guidelines. We compared the scores against the
national medical examination guidelines where in
each of the subjects, a candidate must obtain 50% in
aggregate with a minimum of 50% in Theory
including orals and minimum of 50% in practical.
RESULTS
On the whole 3173 students appeared for the
examination in August 2011. Sixty three percent
were from Government colleges and 37% were from
private institutions. The overall pass as per
University regulations was 60% (Anatomy 76%,
Medical Science Educator © IAMSE 2012 Volume 22(4S) 277