Comparison of open and closed book test for admission in medical school.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction: Students' learning methods are highly influenced by the type of evaluation. Consequently, evaluation is a deciding step in the learning process. Multiple Choice Format Tests (MCQs) are almost exclusive in the admission to Health studies. PluriPASS suggests an educational reform of Health studies. This research aims at analyzing docimological features of Open-book Multiple Choice Format tests (OBT) compared to other usual tests used during the first year in Health studies curriculum (CC). Methods: This educational research took place during PluriPASS year in Health studies curriculum at Angers University, during the academic period 2015-2016. The optional course « Disability and Health ¼ (DH) was partly assessed by open-book tests with complex wording, requiring careful thought from students. Results: Out of the 1161 students enrolled in first year curriculum, 190 have chosen the DH. For the students who followed the DH, the CC and OBT distributions are respectively a Skewness score at -0.11 and -0.12 and a Kurtosis score at -0.9 and -0.22. Bland Altman test or Deming method demonstrate a concordance between both method. Conclusion: Distribution characteristics of OBT are satisfactory and allow to consider introducing this method with the objective of promoting reflection and depth learning.

[Predictive validity of selection process in medical school, a systematic review of the literature]. / Sélection des étudiants en médecine : facteurs prédictifs de réussite ; une revue systématique de la littérature.

CONTEXT: The number of applicants to medical school exceeds the number of places available, a situation that questions the effectiveness and relevance of medical student assessment and selection. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review of the literature was to analyze in a systematic way the studies looking for an association between results of an admission procedure and a later evaluation of the characteristics of the students or the doctors that they became. DOCUMENTARY SOURCES (KEY WORDS AND LANGUAGE): MedLine, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The articles written in English were selected. The keywords were: "medical school"; "student admissions"; "student selection"; "predictive validity"; "student performance"; "interview"; "MCAT" (Medical College Admission Test); "MMI" (Mini Mental Interview). RESULTS: Of the 1116 listed publications, 22 were analyzed. Criteria assessed at the admission (standardized written tests, evaluation of personality and social skills, academic evaluation, demographic characteristics) were confronted with the criteria measured during the follow-up (academic or clinical evaluations). The previous academic results and the standardized written tests seem associated to academic success in medical school. CONCLUSION: The actual selection methods used in our French medical universities are very different from those described in international literature. It is difficult to clearly define factors associated with success during student selection as there is a great diversity of cultures and methods involved.