Correlations of family medicine clerkship evaluations and objective structured clinical examination scores and residency directors' ratings

Background and Objectives: This study validated the evaluation methods used in a family medicine clerkship by comparing students' scores to how students are rated in their first year of residency by residency directors. The clerkship evaluations consisted of three components: problem solving in small groups, clinical evaluations, and a final examination. These components were combined to form a composite clerkship score. Residency director ratings consisted of 20 individual scores and an overall average. Methods: Scores received by students in the clerkship were correlated with ratings by residency directors given toward the end of the first year of residency. The correlations between Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) scores and residency directors'ratings were used as comparison. Results: The composite clerkship score correlated with the director's rating, overall average, at r=.278. The highest individual component correlation was achieved by the clerkship final exam (r=.269). The total OSCE score correlated with the director's rating overall average at r=.304. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that, while not perfect, the family medicine clerkship evaluations perform nearly as well as the OSCE as a predictor of how students will be rated by their residency directors in their first year of residency.