Developing a Formative Assessment with Immediate Multi-Source Feedback in a Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Msf-Cex)

Background: To foster the competency of "practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI)", established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), is very important for the physicians in training because they could implement the competency to monitor the quality of their own work (self-assessment and self-feedback), apply and improve their work (self-improvement), and keep up with developments in medicine. Mini- mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX), followed by an immediate feedback, is one of the most popular workplace assessment tools. The ACGME has endorsed the mini-CEX as a method of evaluating several of the six general competencies (including PBLI) that fulfill the goals of clinical education. The main research question is whether add-on self and peer-assisted assessment and feedback achieves more effective competency of self-reflection and feedback (key component of PBLI competency) for the trainees than tutor's assessment and feedback only after a mini-CEX. How to merge with self and peer-assisted assessment and feedback in a mini-CEX will also be developed. Methods: We propose a formative workplace-based assessment, with mini-CEX as an initial tool, and simultaneously assessed by the tutor and all the trainees, including the tutee him- or her-self in an outpatient teaching clinic setting. Immediate oral and written feedback to the tutee by all the participants, including tutor, tutee him- or her-self, and the other trainees (adapted the concept of multiple source feedback, MSF), will be followed after patient’s encounter. Video tapping or audio recording will be collected for more detailed qualitative text analyses and comparison. Other trainees accepting mini-CEX assessment without self and peer-assisted assessment and feedback will be enrolled as the control group for comparison. Focus group study will also be conducted for the intervention and control groups for the qualitative study for comparison. Predicted results: More active engagement and promoting skills of self-reflection and feedback of trainees as tutors and assessors, and saving time of tutors for teaching, observing learner performance, providing feedback, and playing many important educational roles, planning for instruction, using multiple methods of teaching and evaluating in such a fastpaced and chaotic clinical setting after one assessment (teaching/learning) activity will be expected to succeed. The advantages and disadvantages with self and peer-assisted assessment and feedback in a mini-CEX will also be more clearly understood.

Project ID:PF10406-3001
External Project ID:MOST104-2511-S182-006