Assessment of clinical skills using videotapes of the complete medical interview and physical examination

Complete medical interviews and physical exams were performed on two simulated patients by a class of medicine interns. These interviews and examinations were videotaped and were then scored using a rating scale developed by the authors. This system of videotaping and rating complete interviews and physical examinations is called the The Northwestern Evaluation & Training System (NETS). Selected findings are presented and discussed. It is shown how the NETS can be used for educational feedback to the individual student and for quality assurance feedback to training programs regarding the effectiveness of their instruction in interview and physical examination skills.