Comparison of medical student performance in summative undergraduate paediatric examinations and a clinician-designed minimum accepted competency (MAC) assessment

Background It is recognised that newly qualified doctors feel unprepared in many areas of their daily practice and that there is a gap between what students learn during medical school and their clinical responsibilities early in their postgraduate career. This study aimed to assess if undergraduate students and junior paediatric doctors met a Minimum Accepted Competency (MAC) of knowledge. Methods The knowledge of undergraduates and junior paediatric doctors was quantitatively assessed by their performance on a 30-item examination (the MAC examination). The items within this examination were designed by non-academic consultants to test ‘must-know’ knowledge for starting work in paediatrics. The performance of the students was compared with their official university examination results and with the performance of the junior doctors. Results For the undergraduate student cohort (n = 366) the mean examination score achieved was 45.9%. For the junior doctor cohort (n = 58) the mean examination score achieved was significantly higher, 64.2% (p < 0.01). 68% of undergraduate students attained the pass mark for the MAC examination whilst a significantly higher proportion, 97%, passed their official university examination (p < 0.01). A Spearman’s rank co-efficient showed a moderate but statistically significant positive correlation between students results in their official university examinations and their score in the MAC examination. Conclusion This work demonstrates a disparity between both student and junior doctor levels of knowledge with consultant expectations from an examination based on what front-line paediatricians determined as “must-know” standards. This study demonstrates the importance of involvement of end-users and future supervisors in undergraduate teaching.

ASSESSMENT OF UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION PRACTICES IN KENYA: SETTING, MODERATION AND MARKING

Examinations play a critical component of the education system. This study sought to assess the University examination practices in Kenya. The objectives of the study were; to establish the procedures involved in setting University examinations in Kenya, to assess the procedures on marking University examinations in Kenya and to establish the procedures on moderation of University examinations in Kenya. The study targeted all the 74 chartered Universities in Kenya. Stratified sampling was adopted. The sample was made up 10 Universities comprising of 5 Public Universities and 5 Private Universities. Findings of the study revealed that majority of Universities in Kenya administered sit in examinations set and marked by course lecturers who had not been trained to perform such activities. It was concluded that there was need to reform University examination policies and guidelines in Kenya. The study recommended that Universities should embrace online examinations and other contemporary examination practices such as screen marking. Keywords: Practices, Examinations, Assessments, University, Kenya

PREVALENCE AND IDENTIFICATION OF GASTROINTESTINAL WORMON LONG-TAILED MACAQUEIN PULAKI TEMPLE, BANYUPOH, GEROKGAK, BULELENG, BALI

Monyet ekor panjang(Macaca fascicularis)merupakan salah satu jenis satwa yang hidup di kawasan Pura Pulaki dan Melanting, Banyupoh, Gerokgak, Buleleng, Bali.Keberadaanya berfungsi sebagai salah satu elemen penyeimbang ekosisistem lingkungan dan daya tarik pariwisata yang memiliki kontibusi besar terhadap perekonomian masyarakat sekitar. Ancaman kesehatan pada monyet ekor panjang yang hidup di kawasan yang terdapat aktivitas manusia salah satunya adalah penyakit cacing gastrointestinal. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui prevalensi dan identifikasi parasit cacing gastrointestinal pada monyet ekorpanjang di kawasan Pura Pulaki. Sejumlah 55 sampel feses yang diawetkan menggunakan media kalium bikromat 2% diperiksa di Laboratorium Parasitologi,Fakultas Kedokteran Hewan,Universitas Udayana. Pemeriksaan dilakukan dengan metode pengapungan dan sedimentasi untuk mengetahui adanya infeksi cacing. Data yang diperoleh dikumpulkan dan dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa prevalensi infeksi parasit cacing pada monyet ekor panjang di kawasan Pura Pulaki sebesar 71,18%. Cacing gastrointestinal yang terindentifikasi adalahAncylostoma sp.(74,5%), Strongyloides sp.(29%) dan Trichuris sp.(1,8%).Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa sebagain besar anggota populasi monyet di kawasan Pura Pulaki terinfeksi cacing gastroistestinal.Kata-kata kunci: prevalensi infeksi cacing; cacing gastrointestinal; monyet ekor panjang; kawasan Pura PulakiABSTRACTLong-tailed macaque is one of the faunasthat lived in Pulakiand MelantingTemple area, at Banyupoh, Gerokgak, Buleleng, Bali. Their existence are serve as a part of ecosystem balancerand tourism attraction which has a big contribution to the economy of the surrounding community.One of the health threats of long-tailed macaques that lives around humans comunity is an infection of gastrointestinal worm parasite. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and identify of the gastrointestinal worm that infecting thelong-tailed macaques at Pulaki Temple area. A total of 55 faecal samples preserved by potassiumbichromate 2% was examined at the Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University. Examination was carried out by the floatation and sedimentation methods to determine the presence of worm infections. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the prevalence of worm parasitic infections in long-tailed macaques in the Pulaki Temple area was 71,18%. Gastrointestinal worm identified were Ancylostoma sp.(74.5%), Strongyloides sp.(29%) and Trichuris sp.(1.8%). Based on the results of