Advanced EM Workshops

Clerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine (CDEM): The Art of Writing Effective Multiple Choice Questions

Presenter(s)

• 

  Matthew Tews, DO

  Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University

  Disclosure Relationship(s): Nothing to disclose
• LL

  Luan Lawson, MD, MAEd

  East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine

  Disclosure Relationship(s): Nothing to disclose

Clerkship directors are responsible for assessment of medical knowledge during the emergency medicine (EM) clerkship. We will train a new generation of question writers and clerkship leaders in best practices for item-writing. This workshop will provide experiential education for CDEM members with interest in item-writing and further development of formative and summative assessments to be used in EM clerkships — a strategic goal of CDEM. Advanced training in item-writing and blueprint formulation will be provided. Participants will prepare multiple choice items in advance and after the conclusion of the workshop to contribute to CDEM formative and summative assessments for use during EM clerkships.

Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

• Utilize a test blueprint to guide assessment development
• Describe the appropriate utilization of multiple choice questions in assessment
• Name the elements of effective multiple choice questions
• Identify common multiple choice question flaws
• Develop and refine multiple choice questions for use on formative and summative CDEM assessments