Ensuring competence of essential skills (ECOES): clinical examination for final year medical students

Authors

  • Faisal Waseem Ismail Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Rashida Ahmed Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Sadaf Khan Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Sara Shakil Department of Educational Development and Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.6336

Abstract

Objective: To ensure competence of essential skills of final year medical students in clinical examination by identifying essential skills and by revisiting and practising them before the examination.

Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, from February to November, 2019, and comprised final year medical students and internal examiners from various academic disciplines. An overview of the organizational context, exam structure and process was noted.

Results: There were 96 medical students. The four key areas highlighted were development of the list of essential skills across five years of undergraduate medical curriculum with consensus from all disciplines, student motivation for attendance in practice sessions, unfamiliarity of examiners with the assessment tool, and the need for capacity-building. The key areas were based on the feedback received from all the stakeholders, and post-hoc analysis.

Conclusion: This form of assessment would enable a thorough analysis of the preparedness of the students to function as independent physicians as undifferentiated doctor at the start of their careers as interns, and improve the quality of subsequent exams based on feedback and suggestions of faculty and students.

Key Words: Clinical skills, Competency-based medical education, Undergraduate medical education, Final year medical students.

Author Biographies

Faisal Waseem Ismail, Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

Associate Professor & Vice Chair Education,

Department of Medicine, AKU

Rashida Ahmed, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

Professor,

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, AKU

Sadaf Khan, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

Associate Professor, Department of Surgery

Associate Dean Undergraduate Medical Education, AKU

Sara Shakil, Department of Educational Development and Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

Senior Instructor

Departments for Educational Development and Medicine

Published

2023-03-04

How to Cite

Faisal Waseem Ismail, Ahmed, R., Khan, S., & Sara Shakil. (2023). Ensuring competence of essential skills (ECOES): clinical examination for final year medical students. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 73(3), 520–524. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.6336

Issue

Section

RESEARCH ARTICLE