Twelve tips for supporting medical learners through high-stakes assessment challenges

Abstract

Learners across the medical education continuum will encounter numerous high-stakes exams and assessments. Effectively preparing for and performing well on these types of assessments can be challenging for learners for a wide variety of reasons. It is imperative that medical educators provide appropriate support for learners who experience challenges with high-stakes exams, particularly given the complexity of factors like life circumstances of individual learners and the significance of these assessments for career advancement/progression. Grouped into areas including educator mindset, information-gathering, and developing and executing a study plan, the following 12 tips will help medical educators be better prepared to meaningfully support learners in need of assessment remediation and guidance.

Keywords:

• GME
• UME
• assessment
• remediation
• board exams

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Rachel W. Moquin

Rachel W. Moquin, EdD, MA, is an Assistant Professor and Director of Learning and Development in the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In her role as an education specialist, her work is primarily focused on enhancing the teaching skills of physician faculty who instruct in medical schools and graduate medical education settings, as well as supporting faculty in educational scholarship and research, curriculum and assessment design, and mentorship. Dr. Moquin received her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Mississippi and her Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University. Her areas of professional interest include clinician educator development, effective feedback practices, effective learning environments, and qualitative research methods in educational scholarship. Rachel can be followed on Twitter (@rachel_moquin) or contacted via email ([email protected]) or via LinkedIn (Rachel Willis Moquin).

Brian Pinney

Brian Pinney, PhD, is an Assistant Director of the Academic Support Team within the Center for Educational Enhancement and Assistant Professor at Des Moines University in West Des Moines, Iowa. In his role, his work is primarily focused on enhancing the teaching skills of faculty teaching in medical education programs, the study skills of these learners, supporting and conducting educational scholarship, supporting the development of learning specialists, and supporting curriculum and assessment design. Dr. Pinney has 10 years of experience supporting medical learners, and has led his team of learning specialists in supporting over 2000 students. Dr. Pinney received his Doctoral degree in Science Education from the University of Iowa. His areas of professional interest include development of clinical reasoning, practices supporting learner development, and shifting teaching practice to support active learning. Brian can be contacted via email ([email protected]) or LinkedIn (Brian Pinney).