title: New virtual case-based assessment method for decision making in undergraduate students: a scale development and validation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are many Internet forums where patients can ask medical question and get an answer from doctors. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the rating scale for the assessment of decision-making skills in undergraduate medical students based on such Internet questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional observational study carried out in Medical School of University of Maribor in Slovenia during the family medicine teaching course in the fourth study year. The sample consisted of 159 students. The source of data were the scoring sheets of the students' reports, assesses by two independent researchers. The assessment tool consisted of 10 items on a five-point Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our final sample consisted of 147 (92.5%) students' reports. The ICC for matching of the final total scores on assessment tool of both assessors was 0.742. Cronbach's alpha of the assessment scale was 0.848. Factor analysis revealed four factors: initial assessment, physical examination planning, planning patient management and patient education/involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This assessment tool can be used for assessing undergraduate students' decision-making based on medical questions asked by real patients in a virtual setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Maribor Medical School, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia. zalika.klemenc-ketis@uni-mb.si.
authors.forename: Zalika
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Klemenc-Ketis
authors.forename: Janko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kersnik
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D003933:Diagnosis; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014584:User-Computer Interface