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The Value of Progress Testing in Undergraduate Medical Education: a Systematic Review of the Literature

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Abstract

The increased implementation of progress testing as an assessment tool in medical education suggests a systematic review of the literature is necessary to increase understanding of the value of progress testing and its outcomes on student learning, as well as institutional and curriculum evaluation. Following the PRISMA guidelines, in 2014, the authors conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and three education databases from EBSCO-ERIC, Education Research Complete, and Education Full Text. Sixteen papers were declared eligible for review based on eligibility criteria. Review of these papers revealed five themes addressing the value of progress testing in undergraduate medical education: Feedback, Evaluation, Perceived Value by Students, Student Progress and Academic Performance, and Licensure Exam Performance. The review suggests that advantages of progress testing include the ability to evaluate and track medical knowledge at the individual, cohort, and institutional level, as well as monitor curricular changes. Students find progress testing valuable for identifying strengths and weaknesses in their knowledge, as progress testing performance correlates with licensure exam performance. The greatest challenges to implementation of progress testing are the substantial time and personal resources required and the difficulty mapping test items to curricular content and objectives.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Office of Medical Education, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, 290J White Hall, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH, 45435, USA

    Sabrina M. Neeley

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Catherine A. Ulman

  3. University Libraries, Wright State University, 215 Dunbar Library, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH, 45435, USA

    Bette S. Sydelko

  4. Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA

    Nicole J. Borges

Authors
  1. Sabrina M. Neeley
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  2. Catherine A. Ulman
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  3. Bette S. Sydelko
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  4. Nicole J. Borges
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Correspondence to Sabrina M. Neeley.

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Neeley, S.M., Ulman, C.A., Sydelko, B.S. et al. The Value of Progress Testing in Undergraduate Medical Education: a Systematic Review of the Literature. Med.Sci.Educ. 26, 617–622 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-016-0313-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-016-0313-0

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