Assessment of Candidates' Performance Pre- and Post-Adoption of Standard Setting in College Examinations between 2016 and 2023

Abstract

Background: Assessment drives candidates' learning and focuses on the main goals and objectives of the course. Over the years, determination of pass scores in medical education has evolved from the arbitrary 50% to the actual determination of the cut-off scores in the standard setting process in order to make a decision to pass/fail candidates presenting for licensure or credentialing purposes.

Materials and methods: The study aimed at assessing and comparing candidates' performance pre- and post-adoption of standard setting in the college. This was a comparative cross-sectional study with a time trend. Examination results of all candidates who registered and sat for examinations in the years 2016-2023 were included in the study. Secondary data from approved results of the various faculties from 2016 to 2023 were used. Data analysis was done using SPSS Version 26.

Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the mean pass rates pre- and post-adoption of standard setting in the primary examinations (P < 0.001), Part I examinations (P = 0.002) and Part II examinations (P < 0.001) with a higher mean pass rate post-adoption of standard setting.

Conclusion: The increased pass rates in the primary, Part I and Part II examinations post-adoption of standard setting may suggest improved examination performance. There is, however, the need to assess the acquired competencies and skills of the candidates post-certification. The significantly higher mean pass rates post-adoption of standard setting are consequent on improvement in the quality and robustness of items/questions and of the examination processes, brought about by the training and retraining of faculty examiners which preceded the implementation.