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Comparative Study of Different Formats of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

Multiple True-False and Single Best Answer Test Formats, in a New Medical
School of Malaysia.

Conference Paper · April 2015

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 1 Oth lnternational Medical Education Conference

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I nternational Medical U niversity
Bukit Ja[ilCampus
Kuala Lumput Mataysia

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About ItVI EC
The lnternational Medical Education Conference (IMEC) is a forum for forging and
renewing friendships between educators of healthcare professions from around
the world; a platform to exchange ideas and experience and showcase innovations.
It is usually held in March/April every year for two days (to coincide with the
Annual Academic Council of the IMU), preceded by Pre-Conference workshops
the day before. The theme changes with each Conference and this year's theme is
Work Preparedness - Collaborating for 21't Century Skills.

The IMU-Ron Harden lnnovation in Medical Education

Award (lMU-RHIM E AWARD)
The IMU-Ron Harden Innovation in Medical Education Award was introduced with
IMEC-2008 to fulfill two objectives:

(1)to encourage innovations in medical education (medical = health professions)

(2) to recognise innovations by academics which otherwise might go unnoticed

The award honours Professor Ronald Harden who played a crucial role in the inception
of the lnternational Medical University; and is a prestigious award because Ron is widely
accepted as a "guru" in medical education worldwide. lt carries a rolling trophy and
cash prize of RM2,000.

Past Winners
2008 - John Paul Judson, lnternational Medical University, Malaysia
2009 - Thanikachalam, Sri Kumar Chakravarthi, A.Tay and Vijay Singh,
lnternational Medical University, Malaysia
2010 - Julie Chen, Diane Salter and LC Chan, University of Hong Kong
201 1 - (Vl AMEA Congress) - Arkendu Sen and Lakshimi Selvaratnam,
Monash University Sunway Campus, Malaysia
2012 - (15th Ottawa Conference) - Maria Ahmed, Imperial College London,
United Kingdom
2013 - Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff, Mohd Hamil Yaacob, Syed Hatim Noor
and Abd Rahman Esa, University Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
2014 - Romesh P Nalliah, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Massachusetts,
United States of America
 tMEC-2015
ABSTRACT NUMBER: PWT 03
When Did Medica! Students Start Using
Abbreviations in Clinical Practice?
Farah Syazana Ahmad Shahabuddin,
Nur Hazirah Ahmat, Ahmed lkhwan Mohamad,
Kit Mun Lau and SitiAisyah Mohd Yusof
I nte rn ati o n a I M ed i ca I U n ive rsit14 Ku a I a Lu m p u 4
Malaysia
Background
The use of abbreviations in clinical practice among
doctors is widespread. Many mishaps in the delivery
of health care to patients have been reported as a
result of the misinterpretation of abbreviations used in
clinical practice. Medical students are future doctors.
We explored if the habit of using abbreviations began
in undergraduate medical school.
Aim
To study the prevalence of abbreviations usage
among junior and senior medical students and their
competency in correctly interpreting abbreviations.
Methods
Eighty junior and 74 senior medical students
participated in a survey using a self-administered
questionnaire designed to explore demographic
parameters, f requency of using abbreviations,
source of learning abbreviations, reasons for using
abbreviations, frequency and opinions when
encountering abbreviations, prevalence of mishap
due to the use of abbreviations, and competency in
interpreting abbreviations.
Results
Majority of students reported using abbreviations
and cited time saving, avoidance of writing long
sentences and convenience as main reasons for
doing so. They learned abbreviations from the notes
written by doctors in the wards. .Junior and senior
students reported feeling frustrated on encountering
abbreviations and often had to guess their meanings.
Junior students had more difficulties interpreting
abbreviations in the wards and felt more frustration
compared to senior students. However, both groups
of students felt that abbreviations were acceptable
and necessary in clinical practice. Senior students
outperformed junior students in correctly interpreting
standard and non-standard abbreviations.
Conclusion
The habit of using abbreviations in clinical practice
among medical students began early as the first clinical
year of medical school. Senior students knew more,
use more and correctly interpreted more standard
and non-standard abbreviations compared to junior
T
!
T
h
students, suggesting that greater clinical exposure in
the former had a significant role in the development
of this habit. Medical students should be guided to
use standard abbreviations appropriately.
ABSTRACT NUMBER: PWT 04
Comparative Study of Different Formats of
Multiple Choice Questions (MCes): Multiple
True-False and Single Best Answer Test Formats,
in a New Medical Schoolof Malaysia.
Mainul Haque, Nordin Bin Simbak, Myat Moe
Thwe Aung, Salwani Binti lsmail, Norhasiza Binti
Mat Jusoh, Tarikl brahem Ali, Wisam Abdut
Kadder Yassin and Husbani Mohd Amin Rebuan
U n iversiti Su lta n Zai nal Abidi n, Terengganu, Malaysia
lntroduction
Multiple choice questions (MCQs) alone or in
conjunction with other test instruments are
extensively used in high-stakes examination in
medical institutions. Amongst numerous genres
of MCQ style of exam with five options, it seems
that examinees have greater chance to get correct
answers for multiple true-false (MTF) than single best
answer (SBA) questions. Moreover, there has been
no previous literature review revealed prediction and
correlation of MCQ test format with overall student!
performance.
Objectives
Th is study, th erefo re, exa m ed stu dents' performa nce
i n
between these two evaluation techniques and
correlated them with other assessment outcomes.
Methods
The calculated contribution results of SBA
orthopaedic and negative no-carry-over marked
MTF surgery questions of Year 3 students enrolled in
Session (2011/12) and Session (2012/13) in UniSZA
were analysed separately for each year. ln addition,
the correlation coefficient (r) was figured out to
determine the linear relationship between each exam
style and other performance results.
Results
Both academic year results pointed out that the
students got higher marks in SBA questions than MTF
quiz. SBA test results weie found to be well correlated
with clinical marks (objective structure clinical
examination (OSCE) and long case examination and
modified essay question (MEQ).
69
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