Progress Testing in Written Assessment

Progress testing (PT) is a special written test used to assess the progress of all students enrolled in an academic program toward achieving the cognitive component of the program learning outcomes. All students at all academic levels sit for this exam concurrently at regular intervals. It is used in medical and health professions education (HPE) as a tool to track the knowledge growth of HPE students during their learning process of a program. The purpose is to assist students in understanding what is expected of them at the end of the program and in identifying their knowledge gaps. By the end of this chapter, the reader is expected to be able to 1. Comprehend the concept of PT and the rationale behind it. 2. Recognize the process of designing, implementing, and evaluating PT.