This may be optional during your rotation. Dr. Zachariah or one of the clerkship coordinators will instruct you
Student Information regarding the Primary Care
Mini-Clinical Performance Examination (CPX)
For the 2010-2011 Academic Year
The CPX is a multi-station exam using Standardized Patients (SPs) at the end of each clerkship rotation, and is designed to assess knowledge, skills and behaviors in the care of patients. This exam will help to provide an experience to prepare you for the Step 2 CS. This letter provides the information needed for this exam. There will be an orientation prior to the exam for each group.
WHAT: The Clinical Performance Exam (CPX) consists of multiple patient (SP) encounters. You will be assigned a task(s) at each station.
This exam is very similar to the Step 2 CS that you are now required to pass for licensure. Both exams have been developed to measure your knowledge, skills and attitudes as they directly relate to patient care and clinical reasoning.
The CPX stations will be 30 minutes each; 15 minutes for the patient encounter and 15 minutes for a post encounter exercise. You will see a total of 4 SPs. The CPX will last about 120 minutes, plus a 30-minute orientation.
The SP cases have been developed by your Clerkship Director and are based on problems you have encountered throughout your rotations. The skills and behaviors we will be evaluating include:
1) Your interaction with the patient (more below);
2) The quality and appropriateness of your history taking and physical exam skills;
3) Your ability to counsel and educate your patients regarding their condition and/or risks for disease;
4) Your ability to develop a differential diagnosis/problem list based on patient specific information;
5) Your ability to develop a treatment plan based on patient specific information.
The SP will use a checklist that has been developed specifically for each case to give us feedback on your interpersonal, history taking, physical exam, and education/counseling skills. The SPs will be giving this feedback regarding your performance directly to your Clerkship Director; however, all written comments will be passed along to you with your scores.
WHEN: Last Thursday of the Rotation
Orientation: 9:00 am; CPX: 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Childcare arrangements and other personal obligations should be taken care of BEFORE your exam. You will not be allowed to leave the exam for any reason other than an emergency.
WHERE: The exam will be in the Center for Advanced Clinical Learning, USF Health.
ATTIRE: As this is a simulation of clinic and/or hospital visit, you are expected to dress in appropriate professional attire. Scrubs should be left for hospital wear. Please wear your white coat and name tag (your coat should be clean and presentable). Failure to appear in appropriate attire will influence your performance feedback.
Bring only your stethoscope and reflex hammer. All reference material will be kept in the classroom, so please clean out your pockets.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: You will be expected to interact with the SPs as you would any patient you see in clinic. They will be looking for the following:
Try to make the interview as "real" for you and the patient as possible.
MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES:
Grading/Scoring:
Grades will reflect scores on interpersonal skills, history and physical performance, and problem analysis. Each clerkship examination is graded by the Course Director, grades will be disseminated by the clerkship at the appropriate time.
If you have any questions about the exam or exam schedule, please feel free to contact me at once.
Thank you,
Dawn M. Schocken
Director, Center for Advanced Clinical Learning
Mail to: dschock1@health.usf.edu
Office of Educational Affairs, USF Health
(813) 974-8740