Formative Evaluation and Learning Achievement in Epidemiology for Preclinical Medical Students

BACKGROUND: Teaching epidemiology and biostatistics is a challenge for medical teachers. Formative evaluation has been shown to improve the learning outcomes in various medical subjects. However, the effectiveness of formative evaluation in the subject of epidemiology has yet to be clearly demonstrated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the association between formative evaluation and learning outcomes of medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the prospectively collected learning data of 266 third-year medical students who were enrolled in an epidemiology course in 2016. All learning data and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Nearly all students (97.4%) attended the formative evaluation. Learning outcomes were deemed unsatisfactory in 9.8% of cases. Multivariate analysis revealed that gender, the students' medical training program, laboratory attendance, and the amount of calculation students do during the formative examination were factors that were associated with learning outcomes. CONCLUSION: The formative evaluation was effective at improving learning outcomes in the subject of epidemiology. The parameters indicated that the attention of the medical students, such as laboratory attendance, and the amount of calculation done during the formative examination, were associated with learning outcomes.