Global curricular innovations at Rehman Medical College, Peshawar: The case for mini-clinical evaluation exercise

Abstract

Mahrukh Ikram Shah, Iftikhar Qayum

Background: The impact of undergraduate mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) training on graduate workplace-based assessment is not well documented. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate trainee and assessor impressions of undergraduate mini-CEX training on clinical performance of Rehman Medical College (RMC) graduates posted at two affiliated teaching hospitals in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Methods: The cross-sectional study, conducted at RMC, Peshawar, and its two affiliated teaching hospitals from January to February 2017 through universal sampling included 96 house officers (48 RMC graduates with mini-CEX experience and 48 graduates of other medical colleges without mini-CEX experience) and their 12 clinical consultants. Two questionnaire-based surveys (faculty and graduates) were conducted to evaluate the clinical performance, utilizing Kirkpatrick’s model for evaluation. A data analysis was performed by SPSS 22.0 for descriptive statistics. Results: The faculty survey for evaluating graduate performance yielded the significant scores for attitude (p = 0.02) and work ethics (p = 0.002) of RMC graduates; 58.3% of the faculty regarded mini-CEX as a valuable tool for improving clinical skills, attitude, and perceptions during undergraduate clinical training. RMC graduates (p < 0.001) attributed their preparedness, attitudes, work ethics, confidence, punctuality, and response to duty to mini-CEX; 50% agreed that mini-CEX can be a good tool for formative assessment in undergraduate clinical training. Conclusion: Undergraduate mini-CEX training can be used as a valid, feasible, and reliable tool to assess professional workplace-based performance of graduates.