Terminal OSCE: Correlation with other Exams in Medical Curriculum

 As regards the novelty of the Clinical Competency Exam (CCE) in medical curriculum in Iran, lack of study about result of CCE and necessity for study about the relationship between result of CCE and other common exams in medical curriculum, this study was conducted. This study investigated the correlation between CCE and other exams in medical curriculum.

 This correlational study evaluated the CCE, comprehensive pre-internship exam (CPIE), Basic Science Grade Point Average (BSGPA), and Clinical Grade Point Average (CGPA) scores of the final year medical students admitted to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in the academic years 2008-2013. The data were garnered by reviewing the relevant documentation provided by the Vice-Chancellery for educational and student affairs of Isfahan medical school.

 The CPIE average score was 125±20.03 (out of 200), and the CCE average score was 16±1.38 (out of 20). The BSGPA score was 15.59±1.40 (out of 20) and the CGPA score was 16.62±0.90 (out of 20). Considering the effect of other variables, the CGPA scores were significantly correlated to the CCE average scores (p-value<0.001) with a regression coefficient of 0. 492, demonstrating that a one-point increase in the CGPA average score increases the CCE score by 0.492. Likewise, the coefficient was calculated as 0.004 for CPIE and 0.08 for CGPA (with other variables being constant).

 According to the linear regression, students' CCE scores were significantly influenced by their CGPA, CPIE, and BSGPA scores. A significantly greater effect was observed in the CGPA, indicating a connection between knowledge level and CCE results. These relationships were, however, not very strong.