title: Effect of curriculum reform on graduating student performance.
abstract: With the aim of evaluating the efficacy of a new curriculum implemented in the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (University of São Paulo, Brazil), a yearly objective assessment of both cognitive and practical skills of undergraduate (sixth year) students was performed. All graduating student underwent a multiple-choice questions (MCQs) test and groups of 18-20 students were randomly assigned to OSCEs for either clinical (real and standardized patients) or procedure (manikins) skills. The average MCQs score for the students graduating in the new curriculum (63.1, SD = 8.9, n = 261) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than for the previous curriculum (55.3, SD = 8.1, n = 222). Results for practical exams showed that the new curriculum was associated with significantly improved performance in five out of the six stations for procedure skills, but in only two of the 10 clinical skills stations. Final evaluation of graduating students revealed deficiencies in the local curriculum and may serve as a guide to take measures to correct them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo-Brasil, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil. jfcfigue@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: José Fernando de Castro
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Luiz Ernesto de Almeida
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Troncon
authors.forename: Maria de Lourdes Veronese
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Ana Raquel Lucato
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cianflone
authors.forename: Maria de Fatima Aveiro
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Colares
authors.forename: Luiz Cesar
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.forename: Carlos Eli
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Piccinato
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil; D003479:Curriculum / Q000639:trends*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000639:trends*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D008348:Manikins; D016544:Patient Simulation