Students perception on clinical application based biochemistry practical examination

Introduction: In the conventional method of practical examination candidate has to perform the given test/s directly without the need to know its clinical relevance. In this model of clinical application based biochemistry practical examination student has to solve the given case, decide which are the relevant test, perform a given test selected by examiner and then hat o interpret the result. So this method may help to foster clinical reasoning in a student in the current competency based education. Aim: To assess the perception of first-year MBBS undergraduate students on clinical application based biochemistry practical examination. Materials and Methods: Prior permission from the institutional Ethics Committee was obtained for the present prospective observational study. A total of 198 first year MBBS students appearing for 3^rd sessional practical examination enrolled after obtaining the consent. A questionnaire which consisted of 10 questions were given to the student and asked to answer within 15 minutes. Based on the feedback, Cronbach’s alpha and frequency distribution were calculated using SPSS 15.0 version. Results: Students perception of the clinical application based biochemistry practical examination was much better compared to the conventional method. Conclusion: Clinical application based biochemistry practical examination should be included as an essential component of practical examination. This will facilitate clinical reasoning amongst students.