ToSkORL: Self-assessment skills of medical students in clinical ENT examination

Introduction In medical school, capacity building is a central goal. Nevertheless, evidence is pending how capacity building could be measured for examination skills of the head and neck. Therefore, ToSkORL (Teaching of Skills in Otorhinolaryngology) aims at the self-evaluation skills of medical students in ENT examinations.

Methods Completing the traditional ENT course in LMU Munich med school, we conducted a standardized clinical skills exam for nine different ENT examination items. Using, Likert-scales, self-evaluation was based on questionnaires right before the clinical skills exam and objective evaluation during the exam was assessed following a standardized form. Self-evaluation and objective evaluation were correlated. Nine different examination skills were assessed 42 times respectively, performed by 91 students.

Results Self-evaluation differs widely in the different examination skills. For example, capacity in lymph node examination was evaluated strong while sinus endoscopy was weak. Overall, self-evaluation and objective evaluation were well-correlated. Slight significant underestimation was found in oral and oropharyngeal examination as well as otoscopy and overestimation in anterior rhinoscopy and sinus endoscopy.

Conclusion In general, student self-evaluations are reasonable measures for capacity building in Otorhinolaryngology. To improve education of ENT examination skills and prevent potentially dangerous over- and underestimation of examination skills, instructors should direct their focus on items with allegedly intermediate difficulty because these are most often over- and underestimated.

Poster-PDF A-1580.pdf

Conflict of interest

Der Erstautor gibt keinen Interessenskonflikt an.

Publication History

Article published online:
13 May 2021