RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Content validity of a clinical problem solving test for use in recruitment to the acute specialties
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 22
OP 25
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.11-1-23
VO 11
IS 1
A1 Gemma Crossingham
A1 Thomas Gale
A1 Martin Roberts
A1 Alison Carr
A1 Jeremy Langton
A1 Ian Anderson
YR 2011
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/11/1/22.abstract
AB Clinical problem solving tests (CPSTs) have been shown to be reliable and valid for recruitment to general practice (GP) training programmes. This article presents the results from a Department of Health-funded pilot into the use of a CPST designed for recruitment to the acute specialties (AS). The pilot paper consisted of 99 items from the validated GP question bank and 40 new items aimed specifically at topics of relevance to AS training. The CPST successfully differentiated between applicants. The overall test and the GP section showed high internal reliability, whereas the AS pilot section performed less well. A detailed item analysis revealed that the AS pilot items were, on average, more difficult and of poorer quality than the GP items. Important issues that need to be addressed in the early development phase of a test used for high stakes selection to specialty training programmes are discussed.