eAssessment of Medical Knowledge

Assessment of medical, veterinary, or dental knowledge has traditionally relied on short-answer free-text questions. These questions can now be efficiently and accurately marked by computer, using Intelligent Assessment Technologies' FreeText technology.

The Medical School at the University of Dundee employ a system supplied by Intelligent Assessment Technologies to test the core knowledge of all medical students. Tests are delivered on-screen using computers in the University IT suite, and students access the test via a standard web browser. The tests are invigilated, and computerised marking of all questions is carried out after test completion. A simple web interface is provided to enable administrators to select which tests to mark, and to initiate the computerised marking process.

As each question in the computerised tests is tagged as to content year, body system, curriculum outcome, core clinical problem and clinical block, the computerised system can provide rich data for feedback to students and teaching staff alike.

Professor John McEwen, the academic in charge of the computerised test at Dundee, has concluded that the computerised test has a "very acceptable 'alpha reliability coefficient' of 0.954", and in relation to the other assessment instruments used in the School, "appears to be related best to the written components of finals". The computerised test is now used summatively for Year 5 students, and students transferring in from other institutions must sit the computerised test to assess the level of their medical knowledge against the Dundee learning outcomes.

eAssessment reduces the need for human marking, reduces operating costs, enables faster release of results, and provides rich formative feedback for students. It also provides invaluable feedback to teaching staff on student knowledge and understanding. So if you would like to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your assessment of student nurses, doctors, dentists, vets, etc, contact us for an informal discussion of your requirements. You can also request a paper jointly written with Dundee.