The digital pen as a novel device to facilitate the feedback process

Background: To improve clinical performance assessment, checklist data should be immediately available to students to offer them detailed feedback and be stored in a database for quality assurance purposes.

Aim: To introduce the digital pen as clinical performance assessment tool, report examiner satisfaction and explore the utility of generated checklist data for quality assurance purposes.

Methods: The digital pen technology transmits examiners' handwritten assessments to a database and exports PDF-files to students' mailboxes. Descriptive statistical analysis of examiner satisfaction and the generated checklist data was performed.

Results: The examiners were satisfied with the digital pen. Valuable data were obtained to improve objective structured clinical examination stations and rating criteria, identify training needs for future students and provide examiners with feedback on their rating skills.

Conclusion: The digital pen technology is a practical device for sending completed checklists to students and providing valuable data for quality assurance purposes.