Book Review: Toolbox for Assessment of Clinical Competence

Abstract

Editors: Tejinder Singh and Rajiv Mahajan Publisher: Unistar Books Pvt Ltd., Chandigarh Year of publication: 2023 Price: Rs. 250 Number of pages: 124 Tagging objectives to assessment has become the hallmark of a robust curriculum; yet, it has been a daunting task to accomplish this pragmatically. In 1996, van der Vleuten so trenchantly said “assessment drives learning in at least four ways: its content, format, timing, and any subsequent feedback given to the examinee.” Over a quarter century later we, in medical education, are grappling with the knotty task of meaningfully aligning the assessment to the objectives. Scriven’s definition of assessment in 1991 envisaged a systematic, objective determination of merit, worth, or value to distinguish between the worthy and the unworthy. However, this definition had ignored formative assessment altogether. Moreover, the emphasis of today’s assessment has shifted toward integration to assess the ability of a student to integrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values into a clinical situation. It is in the background of this scenario that the manual “Toolbox for Assessment of Clinical Competence” edited by Tejinder Singh and Rajiv Mahajan becomes contextually relevant and timely. The authors have, in this repertoire, not only captured formative and summative assessments with all its nuances but have also linked the assessment tools to the various levels of Miller’s pyramid. The thoroughness with which the editors have organized the content is testimony to their expertise and ingenuity. Classifying assessment tools under the categories of “knows and knows how,” “shows,” and “does” is a refreshing approach to understanding and implementing the various assessment strategies. This manual is a primer in the assessment of clinical competence while serving as a ready reckoner with the choicest compendium of invaluable references for more in-depth exploration. A medical educator who is serious and sincere about using the power of assessment to decide the learning of competencies will derive a wealth of ideas from this treasury of assessment. Every medical education unit in a medical college as well as every practitioner of health professions education will be enriched and empowered by this sourcebook, which could serve as a guidepost to conceive and practice various approaches to measurement of competence while conceding that not everything that matters can or need to be measured! “Students can, with difficulty, escape from the effects of poor teaching, but they cannot (if they want to graduate) escape the effects of poor assessment” said David Boud. Therefore, it is incumbent on all of us, as educators, to strive to make assessment in health sciences meet its laudable goals, which this book has so masterfully accomplished.