Impact of an in-person versus web-based practice standardized patient examination on student performance on a subsequent high-stakes standardized patient examination.

Background: Optimal methods of preparing students for high-stakes standardized patient (SP) examinations are unknown.

Purposes: The purpose is to compare the impact of two formats of a formative SP examination (Web-based vs. in-person) on scores on a subsequent high-stakes SP examination and to compare students' satisfaction with each formative examination format.

Methods: Clustered randomized trial comparing a Web-based module versus in-person formative SP examination. We compared scores on a subsequent high-stakes SP examination and satisfaction.

Results: Scores on the subsequent high-stakes SP examination did not differ between the two formative formats but were higher after the formative assessment than without (p < .001). Satisfaction was higher with the in-person than Web-based formative assessment format (4.00 vs. 3.62 on a 5-point scale, p = .01).

Conclusions: Two formats of a formative SP examination led to equivalent improvement in scores on a subsequent high-stakes examination. Students preferred an in-person formative examination to online but were satisfied with both.