Tests & Surveys

Development in this area has been a result of collaboration with the preclinical course directors. A new database management system was implemented to assure that all courses would be able to automate their test item databases to move toward computer-administered tests. Faculty members and course coor­dinators now have remote access to databases so that they can assemble their own tests and prepared rou­tine and custom reports.

Center staff continued to provide support ser­vices for the testing and examination needs of university faculty. We scanned, key-validated, scored and analyzed 253 written examinations and evaluations during this academic year and calculated final grades for seven pre-clinical courses. We routinely sent e-mail reports to students with their examination scores and specific incorrect responses. We provided service to faculty members in the collection and analysis of students' evaluations of preclinical courses and faculty members. We worked closely with the Associate Dean for Professionalism to develop methods of detecting irregular behavior during the administration of student examinations.

The Center's staff manage a database of students’ scores on the NBME Subject Examinations used in third-year clerkships and the related system that converts scores to grades on the Jefferson grading scale and provides web-based grade reports to students. The system provides annual summary reports on test performance to the Dean’s Office, clinical departments and affiliated hospitals. We provided psychometric consultation and support in the determination of passing scores as the faculty of the Immunity, Infection and Disease introduced the NBME examination.

Center staff provided service to faculty at JMC and other Jefferson organizations to collect data using optical scanning forms and web-based surveys. These included course evaluations, patient sat­isfaction surveys and medical record abstract forms. For the thirteenth consecutive year, Center staff created and analyzed surveys for the Hand Re­habilitation Foundation of Philadelphia to evalu­ate their annual CME symposium. In a study now in its 9th year the Department of Medi­cine has been measuring patients’ satisfaction with their resi­dents' clinical performance throughout their residency.