[Quality improvement of multiple choice examinations: in psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine, psychotherapy, and neurology].
We describe a continuous improvement process in planning, performance, and evaluation of multiple choice examination questions in psychiatry, neurology, psychosomatic medicine, and psychotherapy. We analyzed 640 multiple choice questions of 1,419 students during a period of 4 years. Crucial changes concerned the abolishment of problematic question types, implementation of validated new question formats, extension of case-based questions, elongation of question stems, quantitative evaluation of item difficulty, discriminatory value, and the introduction of a peer review system. Consequences of these improvements were greater item difficulty (average 18%) and discriminatory value (average 67%) and reduced post hoc analysis times. Introduction of peer reviews resulted in longer preparation time, which was however appreciated by the peers due to a clear improvement in item quality.
Weih
M
M
Psychiatrische und Psychotherapeutische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, 91954, Erlangen, Deutschland. markus.weih@uk-erlangen.de
Harms
D
D
Rauch
C
C
Segarra
L
L
Reulbach
U
U
Degirmenci
U
U
de Zwaan
M
M
Schwab
S
S
Kornhuber
J
J
D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009462:Neurology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011611:Psychosomatic Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*