Exam Question Challenge Policy

[Hawkeye4077]

Fellow medical student doctors, I am trying to gather some information so that students at UNECOM can propose an exam question challenge/review policy. Would you please post a message outlining your school's current exam question challenge/review procedure?

Specifically, I am interested in how your school handles inquiries from students regarding test questions that the students feel are not correct (i.e. in a text book or journal information was given that is contrary to the answer for an exam question).

At UNECOM we are trying to revamp our policy. As it currently stands students bring their inquiries to a student run challenge committee. Students must present their case and attach all cited references. References must be from the required or recommended readings, peer review journals or class notes. The Challenge Committee then brings the student inquiries to the faculty systems manager for that course. The systems manager ultimately decides upon whether to accept or reject the student challenges. Unfortunately, the faculty is not required to accept student challenges; it is a voluntary process. We would like to propose a system in which exam questions must be referenced (as they are for the USMLE/COMLEX) and require that faculty review student challenges.

Your school's policy would be helpful so that we can gauge what other schools are doing, and glean information from other sources.

Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gmendese]

At UMass, if you think a question is bunk, you submit a written challenge to the professor, explaining why you disagree with a question and/or answers. The challenge is either rejected (often the case, because so many people challenge everything they get wrong) or accepted. In other words, sometimes, the correct answer will be both "a" and "c" instead of just "a". Or all the answers can be accepted (rare). Hope that helps and good luck!

Gary

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

Mine is similar to the one above. You have one week from the day your test is returned to challenge test items. You can do it in email or in person. Our president has been collecting them from everyone and giving them to the course director so that 50+ people arent hassling them. Usually they accept two answers instead of one. Sometimes the question gets thrown out entirely, but that's happened twice in gross anatomy (both times I had the correct answer anyway, grrr). It's a pretty fair system.

 

[tega]

in my histo class the proff accepts no challenge. its his book, the entire lecture/exam is from his book...and as far as he is concerned he is God.

so he doesnt even give room for challenges. unless its a typo..which gets clered up during the exam.

 

[doepug]

I know it's hard, but try not to get too wound up about your preclinical grades.

You're a medical student, and all medical students get residencies. The impact of your preclinical grades is minimal at best in this process, and the impact of a few points here and there from poorly worded questions will not affect your future, even if it's the difference between an A and a B (or your school's equivalent).

Roll with the punches and realize that there will always be bogus questions. They won't matter. You'll be fine.

Cheers,

doepug
MS III, Johns Hopkins

 

[Resident Alien]

Our exams are secure, i.e. you see the questions on the test and never again. There is a post-exam review (where no note-taking tools are allowed) where interested students find out the faculty's view on correct answers.

 

[Starflyr]

UTMB had a policy of no challenges whatever, until our class complained about several questions that were worded HORRIBLY or that had 2 answers. Now, on the back of each test, there is a form that you can note down any issues you had with the exam. After that, no challenges whatsoever.

Star

 

[Castro Viejo]

The policy at SUNY Downstate has sort of evolved over the last three and a half years, but currently I believe the policy is exactly as that at UTMB. There is no post-exam review. No forum for questioning. No opportunity to learn from your mistakes. The only thing students can do is write their concerns on the back of the exam and leave it to the faculty to decide what to do.

 

[Starflyr]

For clarification, we do have a midterm exam review session - but no challenges are accepted (no paper or recording devices, etc, since the exams are sequestered). Its on that paper or it doesnt get looked at.

Star

 

[omores]

Duke has no formal policy that I've encountered. We'd just bug professors after class or via e-mail. In the case of essay questions, the prof can adjust individual scores. In the case of multiple choice questions, if the concern is deemed valid, the question is thrown out or multiple answers are accepted.