A Linear Educational Study on the Intake of a Single Year into Medical School

An assessment of a final qualifying examination

“…In addition to the scores recorded for each student, further data were collected and used. They are similar to those items used previously by us (Buckley‐Sharp et al , 1970).…”

“…Those who fail their 2nd MB examination may resit after three months and, if then successful, may proceed to clinical studies, but not to a biological science degree. (These details are also shown pictorially in Buckley‐Sharp et al [1970]. )…”

“…Clinical undergraduate training in London lasts three years and is separated from the preclinical period, which may last from one and a half to three years (Buckley‐Sharp, Harris, and Jepson, 1970). The end of the clinical period is marked by the qualifying MB, BS examination (Batchelor of Medicine, Batchelor of Surgery), commonly known as the Final MB (or 3rd MB).…”

“…For these reasons, we have previously studied the use of multiple‐choice questions as programmed course tests (Buckley‐Sharp, Harris, Jepson, Smith, and Walker, 1969), as methods of assessing complete courses (Buckley‐Sharp, Shenderey, Hobsley, and Marcusson, 1971), and as methods of continuous assessment (Buckley‐Sharp et al , 1970). We report here an analysis of Final MB scores.…”

Assessment of a revised course in surgery1

“…It has already been shown (Buckley‐Sharp et al , 1970) that there are differences between these various groups at second MB level. In spite of these differences, the degree of concordance between the June scores (representing the starting scores of the Cambridge, B.Sc, and second MB late‐pass students) and the December scores (representing the surgery starting scores of the Oxford, and second MB first‐time‐pass students) is remarkable.…”