Abstract

The use of the Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) assessment tool in the clinical setting - the perceptions of students

Author(s): Mr Roderick A McLeod,Professor Gary J Mires,Professor Jean S Ker,

Background: Using work-place based assessment tools in the undergraduate medical curriculum presents a number of challenges. Firstly, given the increasing proportion of the curriculum spent in clinical attachments in the final years, it is essential that reliable evidence of student performance in the workplace is presented as part of the assessment process. Secondly, the number of students on clinical placements at any one time in the undergraduate programme presents a particular challenge in relation to the feasibility of carrying out so many workplace based assessments, using tools such as the Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS). This paper presents the results of a survey of student perceptions on the introduction of the DOPS as a workplace based assessment tool in their clinical attachments.

Methods: All final year medical students were surveyed while on clinical placements over a four month period in 2010. Using a Bristol Online Survey (BOS) a 10 item questionnaire was distributed to a final year cohort of 150 final year medical students.

Results: 58.7% (88 out of 150) of those surveyed completed the questionnaire. Over 88% of students reported the DOPS as being easy to administer and 76% identified its use in creating opportunities for feedback. Challenges include difficulty in integrating the workplace assessments into their clinical attachments (55%) and nearly 70% cited time constraints in relation to both assessment and feedback.

Conclusion: The survey identified the positive impact of using a workplace based assessment tool in clinical attachments, as perceived by undergraduate medical students, in terms of gaining both reliable evidence of performance and in providing feedback, but identified some real constraints.