[Assessment of educational objectives in two different curricular structures--Faculty of Medicine of Ribeiráo Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to assess the impact of the curricular change on the achievement of the educational objectives of the institution, analyzing the performance of graduating students, from the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil.


METHODS
Techniques of recognized validity and reliability (MCQ, OSCE, PMP) were used for the evaluation of skills and competence in the cognitive, psychomotor and clinical domains. Three of the 3 final years classes educated according to the previous curricular structure (n=222) and three classes educated according to the new curricular structure (n=261) were evaluated during the study period.


RESULTS
The performance of graduating students in these different tests permitted us to estimate the extent of achievement of 17 of the 36 intermediate educational objectives of the institution in the two curricular structures. Comparison of the two curricula demonstrated the absence of significant differences in the extent of achievement of ten of the 17 objectives. For six of the seven remaining objectives a significant increase (p<0.05) in the extent of achievement was observed with the new curricular structure. CONCLUSIONS. The results indicate that the new curricular structure was associated with a better performance of the students in cognitive skills related to general practice and in basic clinical and psychomotor skills.
Piccinato
Carlos Eli
CE
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP.
Figueiredo
José Fernando de Castro
JF
Troncon
Luiz Ernesto de Almeida
LE
Peres
Luiz César
LC
Cianflone
Ana Raquel Lucato
AR
Colares
Maria de Fátima Aveiro
Mde F
Rodrigues
Maria de Lourdes Veronese
Mde L
D001938:Brazil; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000592:standards