title: The Objective Borderline method (OBM): a probability-based model for setting up an objective pass/fail cut-off score in medical programme assessments.
abstract: The decision to pass or fail a medical student is a 'high stakes' one. The aim of this study is to introduce and demonstrate the feasibility and practicality of a new objective standard-setting method for determining the pass/fail cut-off score from borderline grades. Three methods for setting up pass/fail cut-off scores were compared: the Regression Method, the Borderline Group Method, and the new Objective Borderline Method (OBM). Using Year 5 students' OSCE results from one medical school we established the pass/fail cut-off scores by the abovementioned three methods. The comparison indicated that the pass/fail cut-off scores generated by the OBM were similar to those generated by the more established methods (0.840 ≤ r ≤ 0.998; p < .0001). Based on theoretical and empirical analysis, we suggest that the OBM has advantages over existing methods in that it combines objectivity, realism, robust empirical basis and, no less importantly, is simple to use.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand. b.shulruf@gmail.com
authors.forename: Boaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shulruf
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Phillippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011336:Probability; D013337:Students, Medical