Title

Understanding The Importance Of Formative Assessment Programs In Undergraduate Medical Education

Author

Matthew Gentile, University of New EnglandFollow

Date of Award

8-2020

Rights

© 2020 Matthew Gentile

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

William Boozang

Second Advisor

Debra Welkley

Third Advisor

Cheryl Melovitz-Vasan

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the impact and relationship formative assessment in undergraduate medical education has on summative assessment performance. Previous research has investigated the important role formative assessment has on the broad education process (Menéndez, Napa, Moreira, & Zambrano, 2019). This research study examined that role in undergraduate medical education. This research study utilized a preexisting de-identified data set consisting of 332 third-year medical student assessment records from five different cohorts. The initial analyses investigated the differences in summative assessment performance for students who completed a formative assessment program during their third year of medical school and those who did not experience the formative assessment program in seven core clerkship disciplines. Further analyses investigated student records for relationships between undergraduate medical education student formative assessment program performance and summative examination performance in the seven core clerkship disciplines. The research study quantitative data analyses evaluated performance differences and relationships among groups of undergraduate medical students exposed to a formative assessment program at the study site. The researcher found multiple statistically significant results. Exposure to the formative assessment program had a statistically significant impact on summative assessment performance. Furthermore, formative assessment performance had a statistically significant relationship with summative assessment performance. These findings hold importance for students in assessing their knowledge strengths and weaknesses, faculty members in the design of their educational plans, and organizational leadership when making decisions about support for formative assessment programs at their institutions.

Comments

Ed.D. Dissertation

Preferred Citation

Gentile, Matthew, "Understanding The Importance Of Formative Assessment Programs In Undergraduate Medical Education" (2020). All Theses And Dissertations. 316.
https://dune.une.edu/theses/316