To Assess Evaluation System in Public Medical Institutions at Under-Graduate Level - The Students' Perspective

Background: Medical education in Pakistan has not kept pace with international standards and modified strategies. This study presents the students' viewpoint about different methods of evaluation prevalent in a public-sector medical institute. Aim: To assess the evaluation system in K.E. Medical University keeping in view students' perspective. Study design: Cross sectional study design. Duration & place: 3 months, King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Methods: A total of 120 subjects were enrolled in the study who were selected according to predetermined criteria after taking due consent. Pretested questionnaires were filled by the students of fourth year and final year. Data was collected, compiled and analyzed through SPSS version 16. Results: Among the students who filled in the research questionnaires (n=120), there were females (79) and males (41); with educational fourth year MBBS (84) and final year MBBS (36). According to our study, the written examination was based on cramming of bookish knowledge (90.8%) and should instead be conceptual (90%) and scenario based (68.3%). The study showed that students were largely dissatisfied with the outcome of viva examination (78.3%) and proposed to replace it with Structured Oral Questions from each topic (65%). OSPE /OSCE were found to be a satisfactory tool of evaluation and were regarded better than Traditional Practical Examination (84.2%). Conclusion: The research study showed that students were dissatisfied with certain aspects of the evaluation system of King Edward Medical University and that steps were required to minimize the lacunas existing presently.