Development of a reliable multimedia, computer-based measure of clinical skills in bedside neurology.

Purpose: This study reports the development of reliable multimedia, computer-based measures of bedside neurology skills.

Method: A consortium of neurologists and medical educators (1) identified bedside skills and (2) created a computer-based test. Test-item stems were multimedia clips of standardized patients. Options appeared as text. Sixty-one junior medical students responded to these items.

Results: The 77-item test yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.85. Subgroup item analysis resulted in reliability coefficients of 0.73 for the 20-question "pretest" (Test A) and 0.75 for the 20-question "posttest" (Test B).

Conclusion: Two sets of test items were developed that can be used as outcome measures in studies that assess the effectiveness of educational interventions in bedside neurology.