Comparing Self- and Teacher-Assessmentin Obstetric clerkshipCourse for Midwifery Students of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Although experts put emphasis on student assessment by the teacher, an established method is self-assessment. The aim of this study was to compare students' self-assessment to evaluation by teachers in obstetrics clerkship course for midwifery students of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 71 students of 3rd semester of midwifery in Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences who passed obstetrics clerkship course in years of 2006 to 2008, and 7 midwifery instructors trained these students during the course. The data was gathered using a form for obstetrics clerkship. The form was developed by midwifery department members based on headings of the course being used for student assessment at the end of each semester. The evaluation form was completed by instructors and the students themselves at the end of the semester. Data was analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics and paired T test. Results: Mean and standard deviation of the total score of instructors' assessment and students self-assessment was 55.90±5.8 and 57.40±6.2 respectively out of total score of seventy. It was 16.50±1.72 and 16.12±1.55 out of total score of twenty. No significant difference was observed between the mean score of assessment by instructors and the mean score of students' self-assessment. Conclusion: The results of instructors' assessment and that of students were similar. This may indicate that students can judge their own performance, to some extent, similar to their instructors. Students' opinions on their own performance and using it by instructors in student assessment may help in correction of contemporary evaluation scores.