Impact of the Clinico-pathological Conferences as a teaching modality on medical students’ performance in Endocrine Course

Abstract

Abstract Objective: This study evaluated the impact of introducing Clinico-pathological Conferences (CPCs) in the endocrine block on student performance during last five years. Methods: This pilot study, conducted at College of Medicine, Alfaisal University evaluated all 645 students’ examination scores in endocrine course during previous five years, i.e. 2012-16, using convenience sampling method. The most senior student batch (Year 2012) had no CPC conducted and hence represented the control group, whereas batches during 2013-16 had been given CPCs in a consistent manner. The assessment included a standardized multiple-choice questions (MCQ) and short-answer questions (SAQ) test conducted at the end of the Endocrine block. Results: Students belonging to the CPC group performed better than the students who did not undergo CPC (mean examination percent score 79.93±7.82 vs. 75.27±10.63 respectively; p<0.001). The students who were exposed to CPCs also showed a consistent high examination score (narrower dispersion around mean, as shown above). Conclusion: The students who were exposed to CPC sessions tended to achieve high examination score as compared to those who were not exposed. It can be inferred that CPC supplementation enhanced their understanding of the course content and helped them perform better. Keywords: Clinico-pathological conference, medical students, Endocrine course, Teaching modality. Continuous...