Med Educ. 1987 May;21(3):213-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.1987.tb00693.x.

Validation of a new measure of clinical problem-solving.

Medical education

E de Graaff, G J Post, M J Drop

PMID: 3600436 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.1987.tb00693.x

Abstract

A review of the literature on the assessment of medical problem-solving by means of written tests reveals serious short-comings. Most important is the low correlation repeatedly found among cases, which suggests the inability of the measures to assess a general problem-solving ability. The literature further suggests that instruments should focus on the brief period of time after the first encounter of a clinical problem and warns against the effects of cueing. Based on these considerations a new measure for the assessment of medical problem-solving was developed. This test, called Simulation of Initial Medical Problem-Solving (SIMP), consists of a number of short case histories, followed by an open-ended question. Reliability analysed by means of generalizability theory proved satisfactory and concurrent validity was established by a significant correlation with a global judgement of performance in a simulated patient encounter. The moderate correlation between cases is interpreted as an acceptable correlation among test items and leads to the conclusion that a reliable and valid test of clinical problem-solving should consist of a substantial number of different cases.

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MeSH terms

• Clinical Competence*
• Education, Medical*
• Educational Measurement / methods
• Humans
• Netherlands
• Problem Solving*

Publication Types

• Journal Article

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