Constructing pre- and post-tests in a medical student elective.

The importance of evaluating medical student performance has been widely addressed in the medical education literature. Multiple-choice examinations are the preferred method of testing because they are easy to administer and score. Development of parallel or equivalent pre- and post-examinations provides objective information regarding actual knowledge gains by the students during the elective and points to strengths and weaknesses in the elective. This article provides information for developing the parallel multiple-choice questions for effective pre- and post-tests.