A study of mini-CEX (mini-clinical evaluation exercise) as an assessment tool of postgraduate students in ophthalmology

Abstract

Abstract Background/Aim: Postgraduate students of ophthalmology are not assessed in a structured and standardized way. By using the mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) method of assessment, the skills will improve in the students as they will get immediate feedback from the assessors to improve further. To assess the postgraduate students of ophthalmology in a structured manner and to ascertain whether their clinical skills improve due to mini-CEX as an assessment tool. Materials and Methods: Prospective. Materials and Methods: The study was performed over 5 months, including five postgraduate students. Each student was given 15 cases with set A assessor and 15 cases with set B assessor. Assessors and postgraduate students were trained by the first author about mini-CEX. Students were trained by the assessors about seven core clinical skills. Fifty clinical encounters were done in the first, third, and fifth month each. Students were assessed for the same seven core clinical skills by the assessors, and feedback was provided to students. Results and Conclusion: Differences in the successive assessments (improvements) were found statistically significant (P value < 0.05). Scores of postgraduate students improved in three assessments over 5 months.