title: Design and pilot implementation of an evaluation tool assessing professionalism, communication and collaboration during a unique global health elective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Global health electives (GHEs) allow medical students to experience different health systems, but there are few instruments to assess performance, prompting us to adapt and pilot such an instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tool to evaluate professionalism, communication and collaboration was developed and piloted on GHE students. The main outcome measure was Faculty assessment of students, but peer assessment and self-assessment were also performed and semi-structured interviews with students were used for corroboration. The 31 items were rated using a Likert scale and marks before and after the GHE were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tool was sensitive to change. Students improved in each competency, the greatest change being in collaboration, which moved from 4.5/7 to 5.44/7. Qualitative analyses supported observed changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our tool, adapted from accreditation bodies' requirements, appeared to be able to discern changes in acquisition of skills in several important competencies in medical students participating in a GHE.
authors.forename: Jayant
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramakrishna
authors.forename: Rahim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valani
authors.forename: Abi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sriharan
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scolnik
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D054521:Cultural Competency; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007393:International Educational Exchange; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011361:Professional Competence; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*