A comprehensive test of clinical reasoning for medical students: An olympiad experience in Iran

BACKGROUND: Although some tests for clinical reasoning assessment are now available, the theories of medical expertise have not played a major role in this filed. In this paper, illness script theory was chose as a theoretical framework and contemporary clinical reasoning tests were put together based on this theoretical model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This paper is a qualitative study performed with an action research approach. This style of research is performed in a context where authorities focus on promoting their organizations’ performance and is carried out in the form of teamwork called participatory research. RESULTS: Results are presented in four parts as basic concepts, clinical reasoning assessment, test framework, and scoring. CONCLUSION: we concluded that no single test could thoroughly assess clinical reasoning competency, and therefore a battery of clinical reasoning tests is needed. This battery should cover all three parts of clinical reasoning process: script activation, selection and verification. In addition, not only both analytical and non-analytical reasoning, but also both diagnostic and management reasoning should evenly take into consideration in this battery. This paper explains the process of designing and implementing the battery of clinical reasoning in the Olympiad for medical sciences students through an action research.