Abstract
Background: Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) emphasizes formative, learner-centred assessment. Blood pressure (BP) measurement, a core clinical skill, integrates knowledge, skills, communication, ethics, and attitude. While rubrics are widely used to standardize evaluation, their utility in triangulating faculty, peer, and self-assessment in BP measurement remains underexplored.
Aim: To evaluate the reliability and educational value of rubric-based faculty, peer, and self-assessment in BP determination among Phase 1 MBBS students using a mixed-methods approach.
Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted among 98 Phase 1 MBBS students in a South Indian medical college. Forty-nine students performed BP measurement, assessed simultaneously by 5 faculty and 49 peer using a validated Knowledge, Skill, Attitude, Ethics, and Communication (KSAEC) rubric. Self-assessment was done after performing the BP Measurement using a KSAEC rubric. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired comparisons, and correlation analysis. Qualitative feedback was collected via open-ended reflections and thematically analysed.
Results: The rubric demonstrated high content validity (Scale-CVI = 0.92) and good inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.81). Self-assessment scores were consistently higher than peer and faculty scores, particularly in subjective domains such as communication, attitude, and ethics (p < 0.05). Peer assessments aligned more closely with faculty scores in objective domains, with strongest correlations for knowledge (r = 0.60–0.67). Qualitative analysis revealed themes of clarity, structured feedback, reflective learning, challenges in assessing subjective domains, and social bias.
Conclusion: Rubric-based self- and peer-assessment foster reflective learning and reinforce technical competencies in early clinical training. While self-assessment is prone to inflation, it remains valuable for metacognition when scaffolded by clear criteria. Peer assessment is a reliable, scalable alternative for formative feedback, particularly in objective domains. For subjective competencies like professionalism and communication, multimodal strategies such as Mini-CEX and multisource feedback are recommended.
Recommended Citation
S, Abeetha; M, Chitra; A, Suba; Dharani, B.; and S, Sadhana
(2026)
"Beyond the Numbers: A Mixed-Method Evaluation of Faculty, Peer, and Self-Assessment Using Rubrics in Blood Pressure Determination among Phase 1 MBBS Students,"
Health Professions Education: Vol. 12:
Iss.
3, Article 9.
DOI: 10.55890/2452-3011.1406
Available at:
https://hpe.researchcommons.org/journal/vol12/iss3/9
