Cognitive performance of medical students in the Progress Test

Abstract: Introduction: The progress test (PT) is a knowledge assessment tool, consisting of desirable cognitive undergraduate content, that provides feedback on the student’s cognitive development.. For the school, it serves as a diagnostic evaluation of the curriculum. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the cognitive performance in the progress test of students in the Brazilian Northeast. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with results from six classes of students that performed the PT since the first semester of the medical course. The analysis consisted of PT results from 2013 to 2021, described by means, Y6-Y1 performance difference, Student’s T test and Pearson correlation at 6Y. The study was approved by a Research Ethics Committee. Result: The results of 361 (88%) students showed a progressive increase in PT global scores from Y1 to Y6. The performance difference of the 2015.2 class was higher (p=0.047; R=0.73) than the others and the test difficulty index was similar for all. There was a difference between Y6 classes, ranging from 64.3% to 72.5% (p=0.003; R=0.85). From Y3 to Y6, all classes increased their PT scores. Higher variability between classes was reported in the areas of Surgery and Public Health. Conclusion: The progress test proved to be an important tool for knowledge assessment and for evaluation of the medical curriculum.

摘要：
引言：进度测验（Progress Test, PT）是一类知识评估工具，其涵盖符合培养标准的认知类本科教学内容，可为学生的认知发展情况提供反馈。对于院校而言，该工具可作为课程体系的诊断性评估手段。
研究目的：本研究旨在评估巴西东北部地区医学生在进度测验中的认知表现。
研究方法：本研究采用横断面调查设计，纳入自医学课程第一学期起即参与进度测验的6个班级的学生成绩。分析数据涵盖2013年至2021年的进度测验结果，通过均值、Y6-Y1成绩差值、Student氏t检验（Student’s T test）以及第6学年时的Pearson相关系数（Pearson correlation）进行统计描述。本研究已获得研究伦理委员会的伦理审查批准。
研究结果：本次分析共纳入361名学生（占比88%），结果显示学生的进度测验总分从第1学年（Y1）至第6学年（Y6）呈逐步上升趋势。2015.2班的成绩差值高于其他班级（p=0.047；R=0.73），且所有班级的测验难度指数均较为接近。不同Y6班级的成绩存在显著差异，区间为64.3%至72.5%（p=0.003；R=0.85）。自第3学年（Y3）至第6学年（Y6），所有班级的进度测验成绩均有所提升。在外科与公共卫生领域，班级间的成绩变异度更高。
研究结论：本研究证实，进度测验是用于知识评估以及医学课程评价的重要工具。