Strides in Development of Medical Education

Document Type : Brief report

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Administration, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Background & Objective: The desire for portfolio application, as a suitable method for evaluation of clinical students, has recently expanded. This study investigated the implementation of portfolio in the evaluation of medical students.
Methods: In the current study, medical students in their educational rotations in health centers in Mashhad, Iran, in 2011 were evaluated by using portfolio. The scores of medical students' performance and health centers supervisors' evaluation of them were assessed during 10 months and compared with scores from a similar period in the past. Data were analyzed using t-test and SPSS software.
Results: Portfolios were completed by all medical students during their rotation in health centers and and evaluation of student was done based on portfolio scoring. Mean performance scores of medical students and health center supervisors' evaluation of them had increased compared of them by portfolio evaluation had increased compared with traditional students' evaluation method in similar past period.
Conclusion: Using portfolios for evaluation of medical students' performance in community educational fields is proposed as a performance-based approach.

Keywords