FAD (Formative Assessment using panel Discussion)- A useful tool for medical undergraduate students

Introduction-Assessment plays an important role in medical education as it can stimulate & also direct the students towards what they should learn. In this study, we have highlighted that Panel discussion could be a good method of formative assessment for medical undergraduate students. Material & Methods-The study was carried out on 51 students of 8th semester MBBS. The topic which was already covered by the faculty pertaining to Obstetrics & Gynaecology in a didactic lecture was again discussed in a 2 hour session in the form of a panel discussion. Observations & Results-31.3% and 58.8% students strongly agree and agree respectively that panel discussion helps in better understanding of the topic.17.6% and 60.7% students strongly agree and agree respectively that this method helps in preparing better for exams. 68.6% students wished that panel discussion should be introduced as an adjunct to traditional didactic lecture on a regular basis in teaching methodology while covering a particular topic especially in clinical subjects. Conclusion- From student’s feedback and supervising faculty’s observation, we conclude that “Panel discussion” is a highly effective method of active learning which enhances critical thinking and also the communication skills of the students. Key words- Medical education, active learning, bloom’s taxonomy, cognitive skills