title: Assessment of clinical competence of medical students by using standardized patients with musculoskeletal problems.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess medical students' clinical competence in addressing musculoskeletal problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen junior medical students completed 2 standardized patient-based tests structured to capture their clinical decisions from undiagnosed chief complaint to management.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No student approached the highest possible score on either test, and the students as a group received less than half the possible points on 5 important aspects of diagnostic reasoning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Standardized patient-based tests can be structured to provide enlightening information about medical students' clinical competence with regard to musculoskeletal problems.
authors.affiliation: Multipurpose Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sinacore
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Perlman
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000592:standards*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004501:Education, Medical; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires