Comparative evaluation of open book and conventional assessment methods in medical undergraduate students.

Medical science is a dynamic field of knowledge that is constantly broadening with upcoming clinical research and analysis. Traditional medical education has been focused on textbook-based recall assessments-closed book assessment (CBA). However, the availability of newer technologies has made the accessibility to encyclopedic knowledge expeditious, which demands for a new approach for medical education. As medical professionals, the purpose of learning should be higher cognitive skills such as interpretation and synthesis. So, analyzing students' ability to comprehend the concepts and learning to apply it in a realistic context than merely recalling the facts has come into attention. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the performance of 250 first-year MBBS students at Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India, between closed book and open book method for biochemistry. Students were divided into two groups, Group A and Group B, based on their average monthly internal assessment marks. CBA was followed by open book assessment (OBA) 1 week apart with similar questionnaire pattern and allotted time. A significant difference in average marks obtained by the two groups was observed in CBA. Group A scored better in CBA, but performance was comparable with Group B in OBA. OBA and CBA can contribute to an assessment program in part because of their complementary pros and cons, and OBA should not be thought of as an alternative to CBA, but their value may be in expanding beyond what is measured by CBA.

Unraveling the Possibilities of Monoclonal Protein Migration, Identification, and Characterization in SPEP on Capillary Zone Electrophoresis.

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) is a method by which proteins present in serum are separated into different fractions based on their molecular weight and electric charge. Presence of M spike, composed of monoclonal protein, on electrophoretogram is a characteristic finding that can be seen in monoclonal gammopathies like multiple myeloma. M spike is most commonly seen in the gamma region however, the M-spike can be observed in fraction other than the Y fraction as well i.e. in the beta region and rarely alpha region. Here we have enumerated few cases where M protein has been seen in fractions other than the gamma region. Thus one needs to be cautious about the variable appearance of M-spike during interpretation of SPEP as some physiological proteins if elevated can also give rise to similar spike sometimes referred as pseudo monoclonal pattern.