Online Exams during Covid-19 Era: Reconsidering Learning as the Main Goal of Exams

Abstract

Similar to other aspects of the healthcare system, medical education has been affected most by COVID-19. Following the lockdown requirements and virtual education, the performance of students has been evaluated via online exams. Although this shift to online examination was inevitable, other mental, educational, and technical aspects should be considered for the efficiency and accuracy of this kind of evaluation in this era. The easiest way to face the new challenges was using traditional questions via an online platform. However, more factors should be accounted for in designing online exams during the COVID-19 era. This article presents an approach in which this opportunity is used to reconsider learning as the main goal of online exams. The approach suggests using open-book exams (OBEs), using questions that require high cognitive domains, using real clinical scenarios, developing more comprehensive exam blueprints, using advanced platforms for online questions, and providing feedback in online exams to ensure that the examinees have acquired the minimum competency defined in course objectives.