Variables That May Enhance Medical Students' Perceived Preparedness for Computer-based Testing

Objective: To identify variables that may enhance medical student’s reparedness for computer-based administration of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Design: A cross-sectional survey of 301 medical students who completed a self-administered uestionnaire. Measurements: The questionnaire was designed to obtain information about students’ computer resources personal experience with computers computer expertise opinions about computers experience with computer-based testing perceived preparedness for the computer-based USMLE and demographic variables. Variables related to students’ perceived preparedness for the omputer-based USMLE were identified by ordinal logistic regression. esults: A significant regression model yielded four significant predictors: perceived preparedness for USMLE content (P < 0.0001) opinions about computers (P < 0.0012) gender (P < 0.0001) and a gender by computer-based testing experience interaction (P < 0.0004). omputer resources personal experience with computers computer expertise age race and year of medical school were not significant predictors. Conclusion: Students’ perceived preparedness for computer-based administration of high-stakes examinations may be facilitated by preparing them for examination content by enhancing their opinions about computers and by increasing their computer-based testing experiences. Originally published Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association Vol. 7 No. 5 Sep-Oct 200