Below are listed questions that may arise during the use of the Clinical Competency Exam
Software package. The questions are divided by where they might arise as you use the CCX
software package.
Set-up questions
What should be contained in the CCX "set-up" file?
C & P folder (which contains the CCX case template files) and the Record Utility folder
(containing the MCP).
Top
Criteria and Performance Utility
What steps must I take to ensure that all the information I entered in
the C & P Utility is saved?
The C & P Utility saves your data as you edit or add information on the screens.
Clicking ADD places the item(s) on your criteria list.
What are "delayed labs?"
You may choose to delay when a student sees the results of a lab. This simulates
the lab delay a student might experience in the clinical setting. If you choose to
delay a lab, the time delay you type in is not real time. For example, if you choose
a 24-hour delay that doesn't mean the student must return the following day. Instead,
the student won't be able to view the results of that lab until they have entered their
final diagnosis and management plan. After reviewing the delayed lab results, the
student may modify his/her diagnosis and management from the delayed labs screen only.
What happens if I ask students to justify labs in a case that
has delayed labs?
If you require a student to justify a delayed lab, the justification will be made when
the student looks at the results on the delayed labs screen. If you require a student
to justify a lab which isn't delayed, justification must be provided at the time the lab
is ordered.
Top
What is the result of marking a lab as "must see?"
"MUST SEE" is a way of requiring students to see certain lab results, even if the
student didn't order the lab. If you designate both "must see" and "interpret" for a
lab and activate both functions in the CCX Case Preferences, a student must see the
lab results AND provide an interpretation before he/she can continue in the case.
What should I do if I'm experiencing frequent crashes while
running the program? (Macintosh® users only)
If you are running the CCX program on a Macintosh® computer, you may want to increase
your settings for the memory allotted to the program. Click the C & P Utility Icon
and then press Apple + i on your keyboard. In the pull-down menu, select Memory and
set your minimum at 16,000 or more and your maximum at 20,000 or more.
Top
CCX Case Frequently Asked Questions - For Instructors - Setting Preferences
If I choose the feature "in case of crash come to last screen," what
data is saved in the event of equipment or power failure?
Data entered on the screen that was displayed at the time of the crash may not be saved.
Data entered on prior screens will be saved.
What if I don't click the "Keep records" preference in a case?
If you don't choose the "keep records" preference, no records of the student's activity will
be saved while he/she is using the case. However, the software is shipped with KEEP RECORDS
selected as a default mechanism. You should take note of where your records are saved.
Top
How does the interim management/management function work?
This option allows students to attend to immediate patient concerns without having to order
labs or wait for lab results. Interim treatments may be discontinued later. Students must
enter their Final Diagnosis before they enter final Management items.
How do I give students access to Dictionary and Drug Info resources?
Make sure your previously purchased dictionary and/or reference software resources are
properly installed. Click the Dictionary or Drug Info button on the PREFERENCE screen of the
CCX Case and then select the executable file for the resource you wish to access, then click
the box next to DICTIONARY or DRUG INFORMATION. Now the dictionary and/or drug resource
should be accessible to students while taking the exam.
Top
FAQ's For Students - Taking the Clinical Competency Exam
How do I use the Dictionary and the Drug Info resources?
Click the appropriate button on the screens that have these resources linked to them.
This should link you to the available resource. If the "Dictionary" or "Drug Info"
button does not appear, resources aren't activated for this case.
What kind of things should I enter under "other issues"?
Comments and or concerns that came to mind that you didn't enter elsewhere in the CCX
program are appropriate for the "Other Issues" screen. You may also add additional
follow-up suggestions. The instructor will be able to see this information during his/her
review.
Top
How am I credited for ordering a lab?
Your instructor has two options for crediting you for labs:
- Upon adding a lab to your list.
- Upon ordering a lab and then viewing its results.
When am I charged for a lab?
Your instructor has two options for charging you for labs:
- Upon adding a lab to your list.
- Upon clicking the button to submit your list.
Top
How do I find out my score on the exam?
The CCX program keeps a record of each entry you made on each screen throughout
the patient case (assuming your instructor selected this function). That record is
reported and evaluated in the Student Activity Record Utility. Your instructor can
review your responses and hand-match any items the program didn't match automatically.
The Student Activity Record calculates the scores based on the Instructor's standards.
See your instructor about how those scores will be reported to you.
How do I link several hypotheses to one lab?
It is necessary to create a Multiple hypothesis. You can create a Multiple hypothesis
from the pull-down menu on the lab screen. Upon selecting NEW MULTIPLE from the pull-down
menu, a list of your existing hypotheses will appear. From this list, select the
hypotheses you want to be a part of the Multiple hypothesis.
Top
How do I view the lab results?
You must submit a lab in order to view the results. Submitted labs appear in a list
on the Lab Results screen. Highlighting the name of a lab in that list will cause the
results to appear at the bottom of the screen.
What is my password?
Ask your instructor the password he/she assigned to you.
Top
After I finish ordering labs and reviewing lab results, where do I go?
You may return to the hypotheses screen, enter interim management, or enter your
final diagnosis. Click on the appropriate icon/button to go to any one of these places.
How do I add several labs that are linked to the same hypothesis,
at the same time?
First, select the hypothesis you wish to link several labs to. Then, while holding the
control (Ctrl) key select the labs you wish to order.
Top
How do I edit a finding or hypothesis?
Highlight the item you wish to edit and click EDIT. A pop-up box will appear with the
selected item in it. Make any necessary changes to that item and click DONE. The edited
item will replace the unedited item in your list.
Student Activity Record Utility FAQ's
How do I get started using the Record Utility?
Locate and open the records folder where you stored student exam results.
(You chose this location on the CCX Case Preferences screen when you clicked the Set
Records Location button. Student records should NOT be saved in the PREFS folder.)
Example of a what your folder might be named: Kirk Records.
In addition to student records for this case, this folder should contain the eval.cst from
the patient case you want to review, plus the qhp.txt, hp.txt, qsat.txt, and sat.txt if they
apply to this case. Click the Record Utility icon and navigate to the records folder for
the desired case.
I see several documents labeled as eval.cst. Which one should be
used in the Record Utility? Where is it located?
In the C & P Utility, you created a folder labeled with the patient's name. The eval.cst
is in the CCX_File of that case folder. Copy this eval.cst into the folder containing the
student records BEFORE importing them into the Record Utility. Do NOT copy an eval.cst from
another case folder. The eval.cst files are NOT interchangeable between cases. The eval.cst
stores criteria used to evaluate student records.
Top
What do I do if I get a "Combined record error" warning?
If you get this warning, try deleting the Prefs Folder inside the Record Utility folder
and then re-start the Record Utility.
When should I use the "Import new SARs" option for student activity
records?
Use the "Import new SARs" option the FIRST time you import records for a particular case
into the Record Utility. If you use "Import new SARs" after partially reviewing and/or
matching items or making other grading adjustments for that case, the changes you made
will be overridden.
Top
What if I've already reviewed some student records for a particular
case in the Student Activity Record Utility, but now I want to add more records pertaining
to that same case?
Open the Student activity Record Utility and choose "open reviewed SARs" from the pull-down
menu. Navigate to the folder containing your previously reviewed records. Once those
records are imported, select "Merge SARs" and navigate to a separate folder that contains
the records you want to import for the first time, plus the eval.cst copied from CCX_File
from the case folder.
When should I choose the "Open Reviewed SARs" option?
If you have imported and made adjustments to student records in the SAR Utility, this
option allows you to view those records without erasing any of those adjustments.
Top
What does the "Import student list (roster)" option do?
This import option compares your full student roster with the student records imported
into the SAR Utility for a particular case. If your records folder for this case doesn't
contain a record for one or more of the students listed in your roster, those names will
be displayed in the box marked "SARs Not Found."
If I want to import a student roster, should I follow a particular
format?
Yes. The roster should be a text file. The format should be an ID number followed by one
space, then the student's first and last names (in that order).
111-11-1111 John Doe
222-22-2222 Jane Doe
Top
Do I have to do anything to save the changes I make in the Record
Utility?
Maybe. As you make hand-matches and adjustments to the student's score, those changes are
saved automatically. If you hand-match an entry in a student list, the same item that
occurs in other students' lists will also be matched. Scores will be re-evaluated at
that time to reflect the change. If you Adjust Evaluation Criteria, you must click SAVE
CRITERIA ADJUSTMENTS for those changes to be recorded.
How do I import History and Physical Exam and Patient Satisfaction
questions?
Once these items are properly formatted, put the files into the records folder with the
student records and the eval.cst. To properly format H & P and Patient Satisfaction lists,
you need to copy the files labeled "qhp.txt" and "qsat.txt" into your case record folders,
delete the text in each document, and then copy or type your checklist items into the
respective file following the format shown. You must assign a point value for each question
in the qhp.txt or qsat.txt files.
Top
How do I adjust student scores?
The matching screen for each case category has a separate box where you can adjust scores.
To open this box, click the Adjust Student Score button. You can increase or decrease the
student scores individually. The adjustments you make to one student's score doesn't affect
the scores of others.
How can I print student records?
Go to the INDEX and click PRINT to access print options. (You can also print the Student's
Record from the Student Record screen.) If you want to print records for one student,
highlight the name of the student records you want to print. Then click PRINT and
choose whether you want to print the student's test record, scores, or the list of
labs ordered. If you want to print records for multiple students, click on the students'
records in the list. The selected names will appear in bold. Then click PRINT SELECTED
RECORDS. Choose whether you want to print the student(s) test records, scores, or list
of labs ordered.
Top
How do I export data from the Record Utility into a spreadsheet?
Go to the "IMPORT SAR" screen. Click the EXPORT button. Select the application that
you want to use to view the data. Open the spreadsheet application, and import the data
and format as desired.
What does it mean when no data appears in a category?
No data indicates that the instructor chose not to include information for that category
of the CCX Exam.
Top
What does it mean when "not assessed" appears in a category?
"Not assessed" indicates the instructor needs to evaluate the student manually in this category.
It most commonly appears in the Dx Justification category.
Multi-Case Performance Utility FAQ's
How does the MCP work? Is the MCP the same as the Record Utility?
The MCP Utility provides instructors with the option of looking at how the students performed
over a range of cases and how they performed in each category. It allows instructors to set
performance standards for the group of cases in addition to the performance standards set for
individual cases in the C & P Utility.
How do I import records from several patient cases into the MCP
Utility?
Follow the steps below.
- Make sure all records for all cases have already been evaluated in the Record Utility.
- Move or copy your "Records" folders into the Record Utility. The "Records" folder
should be named with the last name of the patient. Example: Kirk Records
You also need a plain text file called MCP Roster, listing all student names and ID numbers
for all the cases you are importing, formatted exactly as you imported them into the Student
Activity Record Utility. The MCP Roster should be placed in the Record Utility folder.
- Click the MCP Icon.
Top
All of my categories display "No Data" in the MCP Utility. Where
should I look to correct the problem?
First, make sure you have a plain text file listing all students for all cases you are
importing. The name of the file must be MCP Roster and it must be located in the Record
Utility folder. Second, check the formatting of the MCP Roster file. Third, make sure
your format for listing student names and ID numbers matches EXACTLY with the format you
entered into the Student Activity Record Utility.
Can I hand-match items in the MCP Utility?
No. The MCP utility is a tool for reporting data that has already been evaluated by the
Record Utility. If you want to match additional items, you'll have to re-enter the Student
Activity Record Utility. You can, however, override the Overall Case Performance ratings
and the category performance ratings assigned by the computer.
Top
What is a case cluster?
A case cluster is a collection of cases the instructor chooses to evaluate as a group.
An instructor may choose to "cluster" similar cases together and apply standards that differ
from the standards set for the entire list of cases imported into the MCP. For example, an
instructor may have a list of 15 cases imported into the MCP Utility, five of which are
pediatric cases. If he/she wants to evaluate the content of the pediatric cases as a group,
the instructor may set preferences in the MCP Utility that apply a specific set of standards
to those five cases.
How can I tell which cases are clustered?
Case clusters are color-coded at the top of the screen.
Top
Can I override a student's performance in the MCP Utility?
Yes, you can override a student's performance in the MCP Utility. On the MCP screen,
click the blue dot or the red X corresponding to the case category for which you would like to override.
A window will appear showing the current student category performance designation on the left. To
change this rating, click the OVERRIDE button. Performance ratings that have been changed will
appear marked with an asterisk.
Example: X* denotes a performance rating changed to "unsatisfactory"
What does the quartile button do?
This function divides the entire group of students into four groups, each consisting of 25%
of the total number of students in the class. The size of each quartile will depend on the
total number of students being evaluated. Students are then assigned to one of the four
Quartiles based on their score on the group of cases. This allows the instructor to see
whether most student scores are concentrated in a certain range, or if they are distributed
over a large scoring range.
Example: In a class with a total of 16 students, each of the four quartiles would contain
four student scores. One quartile would contain all students who scored in the top 25% of
their class. The next quartile would contain the four student scores that fall next in the
scoring hierarchy, and so on. When an instructor uses the Quartile function, the student can
also receive a Quartile ranking, informing him/her of how their score ranked in relation to the
other students in the group.
Top
