Dimensionality, internal consistency and interrater reliability of clinical performance ratings

A total of 6 444 ratings of the financial performance of 4 2 4 third- and fourth-year medical students were made by house officers and attending teachers during 12 separate internal medicine rotations. Ratings were based on 13 behaviourally anchored rating scales. One rating was randomly selected per student per evaluator type (house officer and attending teacher) during each of the 12 rotation periods. Ratings were factor analysed separately within each rotation period. Two factors emerged consistently, and congruence coefficients across the 12 occasions were high (0.88 or greater). The factors were labelled ‘problem-solving (10 items) and ‘interpersonal skills’ (three items) on the basis of their content. Internal consistency coefficients of the indices constructed from items in the two factors and the total of the 13 items were high (0.9 or greater) and did not differ substantially when computed separately on the ratings from house officers and attending teachers. Interrater reliabilities on the individual items ranged from 0.14 to 0.33.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74936/1/j.1365-2923.1987.tb00679.x.pd

Indicators of rural youth drug use

The relationships between personal substance use, health beliefs, peer use, sex, and religion were examined using data collected from 265 middle school students in rural northern Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin in January and February 1984. A positive correlation between peer and personal drug use was established. A relationship was also found between health beliefs and personal substance use. In addition, a regression model was able to account for a statistically significant amount of the variance of alcohol, marihuana, and cigarette use in the target population. Recommendations are made concerning future research, methods of improving health education program development, and possible target areas for psychotherapy.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45268/1/10964_2005_Article_BF01537674.pd

Student Assessment of Teaching Effectiveness in a Multi-Instructor Course for Multidisciplinary Health Professional Students

Student evaluations of teaching effectiveness in a large multi-instructor human anatomy course for students from four professionalprograms (nursing, dental hygiene, pharmacy, and physical education) were examined over a three-year period to assess the influence of professional program on student ratings of instruction. In spite of wide differences in mean achievement, students in the four professional groups were relatively consistent in their differential evaluations of the three course instructors and in their evaluations of learner motivational and course performance dimensions of instruction. Results supportedpreviousfindings regarding both (a) the internal consistency and interrater reliability of student evaluations of instruction in a course format increasingly being used in health professional education and (b) the needfor multiple assessments of instruction over time before generalizations can be made about an individual instructor's teaching skill.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67174/2/10.1177_016327878801100104.pd