Reliability and Validity of the Respect Factor in Student Evaluations of Clinical Educators

• In Event: Validity Evidence Across Professions Education Settings

Abstract

Using Kane’s argument-based validity framework, this study explores the following areas of reasoning: scoring, generalization, extrapolation, and decision. Using four years of student evaluation data from a large, private, urban medical school in the North Atlantic region of the United States. The study presents sound validity evidence to support the use of the tool to measure the construct of respect. We also seek to identify the conditions under which the tool will provide the most reliable results. Preliminary results suggest the tool is a valid measure of two constructs: respect and teaching effectiveness. In addition, the tool is most reliable when there are at least ten students evaluating each preceptor in the clinical setting.

Authors

• Anita Wilson, Sidney Kimmel Medical College

• Aaron R. Douglas, Thomas Jefferson University

• John Spandorfer, Thomas Jefferson University