Tracheal intubation skills in medical students: A comparison between course examinations, the national licensing examination step 3 (NL3), and self-efficacy assessment following deliberate practice
Keywords:
Tracheal Intubation, Deliberate Practice, Medical Students, Self-EfficacyAbstract
Tracheal intubation skills in medical students: A comparison between course examinations, national licensing tests (OSCE), and self-efficacy assessment following deliberate practice
Authors: Chompoonik Jiemjitpolchai, Darika Thanbuasawan
Affiliation: Sawanpracharak Medical Education Center, Nakhon Sawan, Thailand
Background: Tracheal intubation is a critical life-saving competency in medical practice. Proficiency in this skill requires not only technical precision but also psychological readiness. This study aims to identify clinical performance gaps and evaluate the correlation between measured competence and perceived self-efficacy among medical students after undergoing a structured deliberate practice curriculum.
Summary of Work: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted involving 35 sixth-year medical students at the Sawanpracharak Medical Education Center. The study compared performance scores from the internal fifth-year anesthesiology course examination (OSCE) with results from the third step of the National Licensing Examination (NL3) administered by the Center for Medical Competency Assessment (CMA). Participants also completed a self-efficacy assessment questionnaire one day prior to the national exam. Data were analyzed to identify statistical differences in three domains: preparation, procedural execution, and tube confirmation.
Summary of Results: The students demonstrated significantly higher scores in the preparation domain during their fifth-year internal examination compared to the national CMA exam (31.1 ± 3.3 vs. 28.0 ± 5.6; p < 0.05). Conversely, performance in the actual intubation and tube confirmation phases showed statistically significant improvement in the CMA exam (37.1 ± 5.4 vs. 35.7 ± 5.2 and 23.3 ± 4.3 vs. 16.9 ± 8.0, respectively; p < 0.05). Paradoxically, students’ self-efficacy scores were significantly lower than their actual performance levels across nearly all procedural steps (p < 0.05).
Discussion and Conclusion: The disparity in scores suggests that while technical skills improve with clinical experience, foundational preparation habits may erode or vary under different assessment pressures. The significant "confidence-competence gap" highlights a need for pedagogical shifts. Educators should emphasize sub-behavioral guidance during deliberate practice and implement strategies to bolster student confidence alongside technical mastery.
Take-Home Messages: Integration of standardized national benchmarks into local curricula and focused training on procedural sub-behaviors and self-efficacy are essential for producing competent and confident medical graduates.
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