Progress testing: a tool for integrating assessment in the basic sciences in dental curriculum

Progress testing is a unique assessment tool which permits the longitudinal integration of applied knowledge across the curriculum. It was applied to the four year graduate entry dental programme at Peninsula which accepted entrants from 2007 to 2012. In progress testing, students are repeatedly assessed throughout the year against programme objectives in assessments set at the level of a new graduate. All students in the school take part. As their knowledge increases so do their scores, and this progressive increase forms the basis of the assessment. Progress tests (PT) are commonly based around a multiple choice format. This allows for sampling across the entire curriculum and for integration of basic science with clinical areas. Where possible, test items are contextualised around a clinical scenario to emphasise the relevance of the points being tested. This allows for horizontal and vertical integration and gives an opportunity to revisit basic science topics later in the curriculum. This presentation will review the Peninsula experience and show how progress testing may be applied to basic science testing across a range of subject areas in complex, integrated competency based integrated curricula.