Abstract
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the feasibility of holding secure closed-book examinations in medical education is compromised. In this Personal View, we compare the underlying reasoning for using open-book and closed-book exams. We rethink the role of open-book assessment and offer ways in which we believe they can complement closed-book exams. We highlight the gap in research, highlight future directions, and call on medical educators to seize our current golden opportunity to explore the impact of open-book exams – on their own or combined to closed-book tests, as a blended approach – on learners, educators, and licensing bodies.
Disclosure statement
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the U.S. Department of Defense or other federal agencies.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Ivry Zagury-Orly
Ivry Zagury-Orly, BSc, MMSc (MedEd), is a medical student, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Steven J. Durning
Steven J. Durning, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine and director of graduate programs in health professions education, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.