Accepted Type
Facilitated and Dedicated Poster
Code
LP1 - 04
Acceptance Declaration
Accept
Additional Information
I declare I have no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this program.
Was this work accepted for CCME 2020?
no
Category
General Call (Workshop, Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation)
Type
Oral
Sub Type
Education Research
Will the presenter be a:
Student
Affiliation
Considered for Poster
yes
Title
Developing validity evidence for a clerkship competency-based written communication skills rubric
Length of Presentation
Background/Purpose
Although written communication skills are a key physician competency taught in undergraduate medical education, it remains challenging to assess, particularly in clerkship. This study contributes to the validity argument for a competency-based written communication assignment (WCA) rubric by providing evidence for purpose & construct validity.
Methods
A semi-structured focus group was conducted with the graduating 2020 class, audio-recorded, & transcribed verbatim. Questions were designed to stimulate discussion on the rubric's purpose, fitness for purpose, & factors impacting its effectiveness. The transcript was coded by one reviewer with a constructivist approach, using Stobart's validity framework as a theoretical framework. The codebook was modified iteratively. A second reviewer coded a random 25% transcript sample with high agreement. Codes were grouped into themes that reflected the student experience. Member checking verified findings.
Results
Six students participated in the one-hour focus group. They represented 17 completed WCAs, including discharge summaries, consult notes, & clinic notes. Three core themes emerged: (1) Students accurately understand the rubric's purposes; (2) The rubric captures most skills involved in medical documentation; (3) Preceptor feedback habits, documentation processes, & student approaches to assessment requests influence the value of feedback the rubric produces. Suggested improvements were to incorporate adequacy of documentation for medicolegal purposes & pertinence to discipline into rubric criteria, & add submission guidelines.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that the rubric measures what it was intended to measure, & captures intended purpose. The analysis will inform future revisions of the rubric, including triangulation with faculty perspectives.
Keyword 1
Undergraduate medical education
Keyword 2
Professional competence
Keyword 3
Communication
Level of Training
Undergraduate
Abstract Themes
Assessment
Assessment
- Formative
- Work-place based
- Written/Narrative
- Competency-based assessment
- Entrustable Professional Activities
Additional Theme (First choice)
Undergraduate
Additional Theme (Second Choice)
Additional Theme (Third Choice)
Authors
Presenter
Avrilynn Ding
Term 1
Yes
Term 2
Yes
Term 3
Yes
Term 4
Yes
Term 5
Yes
