How Does a Comprehensive Clinical Performance Examination Relate to Ratings on the Medical School Student Performance Evaluation?

Abstract

Background: U.S. medical schools have long used the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) to represent overall student performance while comprehensive clinical performance exams (CPX) are beginning to emerge as a new standard for determining student competence. Purpose: This study describes the association between the MSPE and CPX in their independent measures of student competence. Methods: We examined the relationship between CPX scores and student MSPE rating at our institution, which was completed independently of the CPX. Results: Students with higher CPX scores had better MSPE rating, but the associations are small ranging from r_s = .13 for history-taking skills to r_s = .31 for interpersonal skills. Conclusions: CPX results are not strongly related to MSPE rating and, thus, they may provide information on clinical competencies that should be included in the MSPE.

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the UCSF Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators and Office of Medical Education through a Medical Education Research Fellowship. We acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Christy Boscardin with the manuscript.