The relationship between script concordance test scores in an obste rics-gynecology rotation and global performance assessments in the curriculum

Objectives: To determine the relationship between script concordance test scores obtained at the end of clerkship rotation in ob-gyn and global performance measures for the entire curriculum as expressed by a preclinical and clerkship score in the Dean’s Letter. The relationship also considered two other existing instruments. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on a convenience sample of 129 clerkship students. Three instruments (Script Concordance Test, Key-Features Examinations and In-Training Report) were used to assess clinical reasoning. Data were collected from four Montreal University Hospitals at the end of four consecutive obstetrics and gynecology rotations. The data pertaining to the Dean’s Letter were collected at the end of the clerkship training period. Results: Cronbach’s alpha values were 0.67 for the script concordance test and 0.36 for Key Features Examinations. A significantly positive correlation was found between the preclinical (r = 0.260, p = 0.01) and clerkship (r = 0.232, p = 0.01) scores of the Dean's Letter and the script concordance test. Regression analysis showed that the best predictor for the clerkship score of the Dean’s Letter was the script concordance test (r = 0.226, p = 0.014). Conclusions: The script concordance test was associated with the scores in the Dean’s Letter in comparison with two other scales, which suggests that the test can be a useful tool for clinical educators who are engaged in the assessment of clinical reasoning, particularly in clerkship students. However, further work is required to establish this association.