Continuous assessment in medical education: Exploring students' views on the progress test

• Published in: PloS one 2024-12, Vol.19 (12), p.e0314848
• Main Authors: Gonçalves Cristóvão, Helena Landim, Gonçalves Cristóvão, Nathalia Bavaresco, de Moraes Castellari, Lenina Mariana, Gonçalves Cristóvão, André Bavaresco, Dos Santos, Emerson Roberto, Quitério, Alex Bertolazzo, Emiliano da Silva, Ryan, Oliani, Denise Cristina Mós Vaz, de Abreu Lima, Alba Regina, Brienze, Vânia Maria Sabadoto, da Silva Souza, Dorotéia Rossi, Iembo, Tatiane, Bizotto, Thais Santana Gastardelo, André, Júlio César
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis; Biology and Life Sciences; Brazil; Chi-square test; Correlation analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Curriculum; Data analysis; Demographics; Education; Education, Medical - methods; Educational evaluation; Educational Measurement - methods; Effectiveness; Female; Higher education; Humans; Learning; Longitudinal studies; Male; Medical colleges; Medical education; Medical personnel; Medical research; Medical schools; Medical students; Medicine and Health Sciences; People and Places; Perceptions; Physical Sciences; Questionnaires; Research and Analysis Methods; Social Sciences; Statistical analysis; Students; Students, Medical - psychology; Training; Variables; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0314848

The Progress Test (PT) is a valuable tool for the continuous assessment of medical students' learning. This quantitative, cross-sectional study aimed to understand the perceptions of 908 medical students (702 from a private and 206 from a public institution) in São Paulo, Brazil, regarding the design and implementation of PT. Analysis included descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation, Pearson's Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test. Results revealed a strong positive correlation between academic progression and expected PT performance. Students from both institutions positively perceived PT construction and received adequate information about its importance. Significant differences were observed between institutions regarding classroom discussion of PT questions and content adequacy. The study highlights PT's strengths and challenges, emphasizing the need for curriculum alignment, individualized feedback, and strategies to enhance student motivation. It contributes to the field of medical education assessment by providing insights for improving PT implementation and effectiveness. Future research directions include exploring stakeholder perspectives, conducting longitudinal studies, and examining PT's impact across diverse educational contexts.This research underscores the value of student perspectives in developing effective assessment practices, supporting the evolution of competent medical professionals through meaningful educational strategies.