SOMOSAT: Utility of a web-based self-assessment tool in undergraduate medical education

Figures & data

Table

Practice points
The use of a web-based self-assessment tool for second-year medical students:
Demonstrated predictive power for assessing potential performance on actual graded exams. Permitted medical students to identify areas of strength and weakness and provided opportunity for directed study. Provided students with the opportunity to practice their examination skills in a semi-controlled setting. Resulted in improved medical knowledge, and improved graded exam performance, compared with students who did not use the tool. Provided an efficient and effective method for medical students to improve their knowledge and performance.

Figure 1. The SOMOSAT participation (% of the class) by organ system. Organ systems are presented in the chronological order in which the modules became available to students (i.e. beginning with the circulatory and ending with the haematological system).

Figure 2. Correlations between SOMOSAT score (% correct), and performance on the graded course examinations, for the circulatory (a), respiratory (b) and digestive (c) system modules.

Figure 3. Graded Course Examination Scores (% correct) for SOMOSAT participants vs. non-participants for all organ system modules. (*p < 0.05 vs. SOMOSAT non-participants; **p < 0.001 vs. SOMOSAT non-participants overall).

Figure 4. Inverse correlation between score improvement (Graded Course Examination Score minus SOMOSAT Score) vs. SOMOSAT score in the circulatory system module for the three disciplines of pathophysiology (a), pathology (b) and pharmacology (c) and three representative circulatory system subtopics: Arrhythmias (d), Congestive Heart Failure (e) and Ischemia/Infarction (f). (n = 115 for all panels, however, multiple data points are overlapping due to students receiving similar combinations of scores.

Figure 5. Graded Course Examination Scores as a function of the degree of participation in SOMOSAT for the circulatory (a) and musculoskeletal system (b) modules. Quiz + R1 = Quiz Mode and Initial Review Mode only; Quiz + R1 + R2 = Quiz Mode, Initial Review Mode and Final Review Mode.

Figure 6. Student feedback about the specific aspects of SOMOSAT that were most helpful in learning and studying. Responses are recorded on a Likert scale.

Table 1.  Student comments regarding SOMOSAT

Favourable	Unfavourable
• I loved the SOMOSAT. I think the quiz mode should be required BEFORE review mode at it is.	• I don’t like the format in requiring us to progress from quiz mode to final review mode. I would rather that answer and explanations be provided on the first-run (immediate review mode).
• I found the SOMOSAT extremely useful. It forced you to think critically about topics that you had only been attempting to memorize up until that point, which usually helped me establish whether I had any real clue as to what was going on.	• I did not like that you had to access SOMOSAT by a certain time or else lost privileges to use it.
• I linked having test-style questions to practice on.	• I would have liked to have been able to access the quizzes more than three times.
• The breakdown by area of strengths and weaknesses was helpful.	• More detailed explanations would be nice.
	• It was very frustrating when there were computer glitches and I couldn’t log on anymore to go over the questions.