Journal Article
Evaluating and designing assessments for medical education: the utility formula
M. Chandratilake, M. Davis & G. Ponnamperuma
2009
The Internet Journal of Medical Education, Volume 1, Issue 1, Pages 1 – 7
As assessment serves several important purposes in medical education, it is a vital element in the training of doctors. A rigorous assessment system, therefore, is an essential requirement in enhancing quality and accountability of medical education. This can be achieved by considering the utility formula which takes in to account the validity, the reliability, the educational impact, the practicability, the cost-effectiveness and the acceptability of assessment. All utility elements of a given assessment should be satisfactorily engaged for it to be psychometrically rigorous and sustainable in a particular context. This article discusses the utility elements in relation to medical assessments and introduces some useful measures for achieving acceptable utility.