Journal article
Investigating the validity of web-enabled mechanistic case diagramming scores to assess students' integration of foundational and clinical sciences
Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice, Vol.25(3), pp.629-639
08/01/2020
DOI: 10.1007/s10459-019-09944-y
PMID: 31720878
Abstract
As medical schools have changed their curricula to address foundational and clinical sciences in a more integrated fashion, teaching methods such as concept mapping have been incorporated in small group learning settings. Methods that can assess students' ability to apply such integrated knowledge are not as developed, however. The purpose of this project was to assess the validity of scores on a focused version of concept maps called mechanistic case diagrams (MCDs), which are hypothesized to enhance existing tools for assessing integrated knowledge that supports clinical reasoning. The data were from the medical school graduating class of 2018 (N = 136 students). In 2014-2015 we implemented a total of 16 case diagrams in case analysis groups within the Mechanisms of Health and Disease (MOHD) strand of the pre-clinical curriculum. These cases were based on topics being taught during the lectures and small group sessions for MOHD. We created an overall score across all 16 cases for each student. We then correlated these scores with performance in the preclinical curriculum [as assessed by overall performance in MOHD integrated foundational basic science courses and overall performance in the Clinical and Professional Skills (CAPS) courses], and standardized licensing exam scores [United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE)] Step 1 (following core clerkships) and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (at the beginning of the fourth year of medical school). MCD scores correlated with students' overall basic science scores (r = .46, p = .0002) and their overall performance in Clinical and Professional Skills courses (r = .49, p < .0001). In addition, they correlated significantly with standardized exam measures, including USMLE Step 1 (r = .33, p <= .0001), and USMLE Step 2 CK (r = .39, p < .0001). These results provide preliminary validity evidence that MCDs may be useful in identifying students who have difficulty in integrating foundational and clinical sciences.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Investigating the validity of web-enabled mechanistic case diagramming scores to assess students' integration of foundational and clinical sciences
- Creators
- Kristi J. Ferguson - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicineClarence D. Kreiter - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicineEllen Franklin - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of MedicineThomas H. Haugen - Iowa City VA Medical CenterFred R. Dee - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice, Vol.25(3), pp.629-639
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10459-019-09944-y
- PMID
- 31720878
- ISSN
- 1382-4996
- eISSN
- 1573-1677
- Number of pages
- 11
- Grant note
- Stemmler Fund of the National Board of Medical Examiners Office of Consultation and Research in Medical Education's Educational Development Fund University of Iowa's Innovations in Teaching with Technology Fund 201509 / University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/01/2020
- Academic Unit
- Pathology; Family and Community Medicine; General Internal Medicine; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984297449202771
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