Performance in the MRCP(UK) Examination 2003–4: analysis of pass rates of UK graduates in relation to self-declared ethnicity and gender

Dewhurst, N G; McManus, I. C.; Mollon, Jennifer; Dacre, Jane; Vale, Allister

doi:10.1186/1741-7015-5-8

Cited by 73 publications

(98 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Similar findings have been reported in the United States 9 and Australia. 10 Some evidence suggests that the ethnic gap might be greatest in assessments of clinical knowledge and skills, but it is also present in machine marked tests of basic medical knowledge.…”

Section: Notessupporting

confidence: 84%

Ethnic stereotypes and the underachievement of UK medical students from ethnic minorities: qualitative study

2008

BMJ

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Objective To explore ethnic stereotypes of UK medical students in the context of academic underachievement of medical students from ethnic minorities.Design Qualitative study using semistructured one to one interviews and focus groups.Setting A London medical school.Participants 27 year 3 medical students and 25 clinical teachers, purposively sampled for ethnicity and sex.Methods Data were analysed using the theory of stereotype threat (a psychological phenomenon thought to negatively affect the performance of people from ethnic minorities in educational contexts) and the constant comparative method.Results Participants believed the student-teacher relationship was vital for clinical learning. Teachers had strong perceptions about "good" clinical students (interactive, keen, respectful), and some described being aggressive towards students whom they perceived as quiet, unmotivated, and unwilling. Students had equally strong perceptions about "good" clinical teachers (encouraging, interested, interactive, non-aggressive). Students and teachers had concordant and well developed perceptions of the "typical" Asian clinical medical student who was considered over-reliant on books, poor at communicating with patients, too quiet during clinical teaching sessions, and unmotivated owing to being pushed into studying medicine by ambitious parents. Stereotypes of the "typical" white student were less well developed: autonomous, confident, and outgoing team player. Direct discrimination was not reported.

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Section: Notessupporting

confidence: 84%

Ethnic stereotypes and the underachievement of UK medical students from ethnic minorities: qualitative study

2008

BMJ

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“…3 It is poorly researched: there are only two substantial studies of the potential bias of examiners by sex, ethnic group, or source of primary medical degree, and these concern the examinations of the MRCP(UK) examination where two examiners work together in pairs. 4,5 Differential candidate performance Dewhurst et al 4 found sex and ethnicity differences among UK graduates (UKGs) in the intercollegiate MRCP Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) in [2003][2004] (male candidates failing at 1.5 times the rate of female candidates, and black and minority ethnic (BME) candidates failing at 1.7 times the rate of the white candidates); the latest (2012) published statistics 6 show sex differences (UKG male candidates failing at 1.3 times the rate of UKG female candidates), ethnicity differences (BME UKG candidates failing at 1.3 times the rate of white UKG candidates), and differences with regard to source of primary medical degree (IMGs failing at 3.1 times the rate of UKGs).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a study of the MRCP(UK) Dewhurst et al 4 reported no association between candidate and examiner sex and a small but highly significant interaction of candidate and examiner ethnicity on stations assessing communication skills and ethics. McManus and colleagues detected 'possible sex bias in no examiners and possible ethnic bias in only one' in the MRCP(UK).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

MRCGP CSA: are the examiners biased, favouring their own by sex, ethnicity, and degree source?

Denney¹,

Freeman²,

Wakeford³

2013

Br J Gen Pract

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BackgroundConcern exists regarding differential performance of candidates in postgraduate clinical assessments by ethnicity, sex, and country of primary qualification. Could examiner bias be responsible? AimTo explore whether candidate demographics affect examiners' judgements, by investigating candidates' case performances by candidates' and examiners' demographics. Design and settingData on 4000 candidates (52 000 cases) sitting the MRCGP clinical skills assessment in 2011-2012. MethodUnivariate analyses were undertaken of subgroup performance (male/female, white/ black and minority ethnic (BME), UK/non-UK graduates) by parallel examiner demographics. Due to confounding of variables, these were complemented by multivariate ANOVA and multiple regression analyses. ResultsUnivariate analysis showed some differences between outcomes between the same-group and other-group examiners: these were contradictory regarding examiners 'favouring their own', for example, males received higher marks from female examiners than from males: maximum effect size was 3.6%. A six-way ANOVA confirmed all three candidate and examiner variables as having significant effects individually, identifying one significant interaction (examiner sex by examiner ethnicity). Stepwise regression showed candidate variables predicting 12% of score variance, parallel examiner demographics adding little (approximately 0.2% of variance). One 'transactional' variable proved significant, explaining 0.06% of score variance. ConclusionExaminers show no general tendency to 'favour their own kind'. With confounding between variables, as far as the impact on candidates' case scores, substantial effects relate to candidate and not examiner characteristics. Candidate-examiner interaction effects were inconsistent in their direction and slight in their calculated impact.

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“…Several authors have previously attempted to identify students at risk of failing undergraduate or postgraduate exams, but no method has been shown to be completely reliable (McManus et al 2003;Bessant et al 2006;Dewhurst et al 2007;Bowhay & Watmough 2009,). White et al (2009) showed that students who fail an exam can improve their success at the next attempt with a combination of review, reflection and self-assessment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incorporating multi-source feedback into a new clinically based revision course for the FRCS(Plast) exam

et al. 2011

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Background: Exit exams for completion of surgical training are demanding and have relatively low pass rates with many candidates requiring multiple attempts. Aim: To establish a new, clinically based exam preparation course, utilising multi-source feedback, to identify candidates at risk of failure and improve pass rates. Methods: We describe the process of establishing a new, unique, clinically based exam preparation course incorporating multisource feedback from examiners, patients, nurses and other trainees. We present the course results as well as the exam results for each candidate and analyse the results of the multi-source feedback. Results: Nine candidates have so far successfully completed both the preparation course and the FRCS(Plast) exam. Success in the exam preparation course accurately predicts success in the FRCS(Plast) exam. Nursing staff and patients tend to give higher scores than examiners and trainees. The majority of marginal failures from the course went on to pass the exam, indicating that the course allows candidates to successfully address weaknesses identified on the course. Conclusion: A clinically based exam preparation course utilising multi-source feedback allows identification of candidates at risk of failing a surgical training exit exam and allows targeted training in order to maximise pass rates.

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Performance in the MRCP(UK) Examination 2003–4: analysis of pass rates of UK graduates in relation to self-declared ethnicity and gender

Cited by 73 publications

References 21 publications

Ethnic stereotypes and the underachievement of UK medical students from ethnic minorities: qualitative study

Ethnic stereotypes and the underachievement of UK medical students from ethnic minorities: qualitative study

MRCGP CSA: are the examiners biased, favouring their own by sex, ethnicity, and degree source?

Incorporating multi-source feedback into a new clinically based revision course for the FRCS(Plast) exam

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