Cross‐institutional progress testing: feasibility and value to a new medical school

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the feasibility of using a progress test to compare the rate of knowledge acquisition among students at a new medical school with that of students at a comparable but long-established school. METHODS: As part of an ongoing strategy, we administered the McMaster Personal Progress Index (PPI) on four occasions to the first two cohorts of students enrolled in the graduate-entry medical programme at the University of Limerick. We compared mean PPI scores for students at comparable stages in their courses at both schools. RESULTS: To date, the rate of knowledge acquisition is similar in students at both schools. CONCLUSIONS: Inter-institutional and international collaboration in progress testing is feasible and provides a useful quality assurance tool which can be used by new schools to reassure students, faculty members and accrediting bodies.