An analysis of standardised patient checklist errors and their effect on student scores

• Published in: Medical education 2003-02, Vol.37 (2), p.99-104
• Main Authors: Heine, Nancy, Garman, Karen, Wallace, Peggy, Bartos, Rebekah, Richards, Anita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: California; clinical competence; Clinical Competence - standards; Diagnostic Errors; education; Education, Medical, Undergraduate - methods; educational measurement; Educational Measurement - methods; Humans; medical; Medical History Taking - standards; undergraduate/methods
• ISSN: 0308-0110; 1365-2923
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2923.2003.01416.x

Background  The frequency and nature of standardised patient (SP) recording errors during clinical performance examinations (CPX) have an effect on case scores and ultimately on pass/fail decisions. Purpose  To determine the effect of SP recording errors on case scores. Methods  Standardised patients completed checklists immediately after each encounter. To determine checklist accuracy, multiple reviewers developed a checklist key for each student encounter studied. The total errors, the net errors, the errors of commission and omission and error rates by competency skill were analysed. Results  The frequency of errors in history taking was greater than in physical examination, and the majority of errors were made in the students' favour. Summing the errors of commission and omission decreased the effect of total errors on student scores. Conclusions  High levels of SP recording accuracy are achievable. When errors occur, the net effect is usually in the students' favour.