A multicenter study to provide evidence of construct validity in a computer-based outcome measure of neurology clinical skills.
BACKGROUND
Using computer-based simulation to assess clinical skill-a key competence for medical trainees-enables standardization and exposure to a broad sample of physical findings. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence of construct validity for a computer-based outcome measure of neurology clinical skills.


METHODS
A total of 128 medical students and neurology residents at four institutions volunteered to take a 34-question computer-based test designed to measure neurology clinical skills. Subjects were classified into three groups based on level of training: novice, intermediate, and experienced.


RESULTS
Overall performance increased with level of training. Question difficulty discriminated between groups as predicted. Twenty-six of 34 individual items discriminated between novices and more advanced learners. This test separated learners at different levels of training with a consistency of .92.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provided evidence of construct validity for a computer-based outcome measure of neurology clinical skills.
Obeso
Vivian T
VT
P.O. Box 016960 (D-41), Miami, FL 33101, USA. vobeso@med.miami.edu
Gordon
David Lee
DL
Issenberg
S Barry
SB
Baker
Joan W
JW
Clark
Ronald G
RG
Reynolds
Patrick S
PS
Lewis
Steven L
SL
Khan
Jaffar
J
Petrusa
Emil R
ER
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D019212:Multimedia; D009462:Neurology / Q000193:education*; D016544:Patient Simulation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013337:Students, Medical