title: The criteria and analysis of good multiple choice questions in a health professional setting.
abstract: Assessment of health workers as students and professionals has a profound impact on their learning and is an essential safety valve before certification. It is used for their training, their placement, their certification, and their promotion. The multiple choice question MCQ type of tests represents one of the most important examination tools that is commonly used in this assessment. The MCQs can be reliable, valid, and cost-effective in assessing medical knowledge. This paper portrays the different purposes of assessment in the medical field. The paper discusses in detail the criteria of a good assessment tool. Interpretation of MCQ test results is the final section of the paper.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hameed
authors.forename: Eiad A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Al-Faris
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Alorainy
authors.forename: Mohammed O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Al-Rukban
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods; D004517:Education, Professional; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*