Rebecca L Tisdale1,2, Amy R Filsoof3, Surbhi Singhal3, Wendy Cáceres3, Shriram Nallamshetty4,3, Angela J Rogers3, Abraham C Verghese3, Robert A Harrington3, Ronald M Witteles3. 1. Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D), Center for Innovation to Implementation (Ci2i), VA Palo Alto Health Care System (152-MPD), 795 Willow Road, Building 324, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA. rtisdale@stanford.edu. 2. Department of Health Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, USA. rtisdale@stanford.edu. 3. Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. 4. Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D), Center for Innovation to Implementation (Ci2i), VA Palo Alto Health Care System (152-MPD), 795 Willow Road, Building 324, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Medical Student Performance Evaluations (MSPE) is a cornerstone of residency applications. Little is known regarding adherence to Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) MSPE recommendations and longitudinal changes in MSPE content. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate current MSPE quality and longitudinal changes in MSPE and grading practices. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Students from all Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-accredited medical schools from which the Stanford University Internal Medicine residency program received applications between 2014-2015 and 2019-2020. MAIN MEASURES: Inclusion of key words to describe applicant performance and metrics thereof, including distribution among students and key word assignment explanation; inclusion of clerkship grades, grade distributions, and grade composition; and evidence of grade inflation over time. KEY RESULTS: MSPE comprehensiveness varied substantially among the 149 schools analyzed. In total, 25% of schools provided complete information consistent with AAMC recommendations regarding key word/categorization of medical students and clerkship grades in 2019-2020. Seventy-seven distinct key word terms appeared across the 139 schools examined in 2019-2020. Grading practices markedly varied, with 2-83% of students receiving the top internal medicine clerkship grade depending on the year and school. Individual schools frequently changed key word and grading practices, with 33% and 18% of schools starting and/or stopping use of key words and grades, respectively. Significant grade inflation occurred over the 6-year study period, with an average 14% relative increase in the proportion of students receiving top clerkship grades. CONCLUSIONS: A minority of schools complies with AAMC MSPE guidelines, and MSPEs are inconsistent across time and schools. These practices may impair evaluation of students within and between schools.
BACKGROUND: The Medical Student Performance Evaluations (MSPE) is a cornerstone of residency applications. Little is known regarding adherence to Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) MSPE recommendations and longitudinal changes in MSPE content. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate current MSPE quality and longitudinal changes in MSPE and grading practices. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Students from all Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-accredited medical schools from which the Stanford University Internal Medicine residency program received applications between 2014-2015 and 2019-2020. MAIN MEASURES: Inclusion of key words to describe applicant performance and metrics thereof, including distribution among students and key word assignment explanation; inclusion of clerkship grades, grade distributions, and grade composition; and evidence of grade inflation over time. KEY RESULTS: MSPE comprehensiveness varied substantially among the 149 schools analyzed. In total, 25% of schools provided complete information consistent with AAMC recommendations regarding key word/categorization of medical students and clerkship grades in 2019-2020. Seventy-seven distinct key word terms appeared across the 139 schools examined in 2019-2020. Grading practices markedly varied, with 2-83% of students receiving the top internal medicine clerkship grade depending on the year and school. Individual schools frequently changed key word and grading practices, with 33% and 18% of schools starting and/or stopping use of key words and grades, respectively. Significant grade inflation occurred over the 6-year study period, with an average 14% relative increase in the proportion of students receiving top clerkship grades. CONCLUSIONS: A minority of schools complies with AAMC MSPE guidelines, and MSPEs are inconsistent across time and schools. These practices may impair evaluation of students within and between schools.
Authors: Lauren Hook; Aitua C Salami; Tenesha Diaz; Kara E Friend; Alisan Fathalizadeh; Amit R T Joshi Journal: J Surg Educ Date: 2018-07-29 Impact factor: 2.891
Authors: David A Ross; Dowin Boatright; Marcella Nunez-Smith; Ayana Jordan; Adam Chekroud; Edward Z Moore Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-08-09 Impact factor: 3.240