Beyond assessment: Feedback for individuals and institutions based on the progress test

Background: Progress testing is used at Peninsula Medical School to test applied medical knowledge four times a year using a 125-item multiple choice test. Items within each test are classified and matched to the curriculum blueprint. Aim: To examine the use of item classifications as part of a quality assurance process and to examine the range of available feedback provided after each test or group of tests. Methods: The questions were classified using a single best classification method. These were placed into a simplified version of the progress test assessment blueprint. Average item facilities for individuals and cohorts were used to provide feedback to individual students and curriculum designers. Results: The analysis shows that feedback can be provided at a number of levels, and inferences about various groups can be made. It demonstrates that learning mostly occurs in the early years of the course, but when examined longitudinally, it shows how different patterns of learning exist in different curriculum areas. It also shows that the effect of changes in the curriculum may be monitored through these data. Conclusions: Used appropriately, progress testing can provide a wide range of feedback to every individual or group of individuals in a medical school.