ICVA 2024 Assessment Grant Winners
Congratulations to the 2024 recipients of the ICVA Assessment Grant—teams of dedicated professionals from multiple veterinary academic institutions. Each of their individual research efforts will make a significant impact on how veterinary students are evaluated, working to improve the validity, reliability, and equity of assessment methods.
For the first time, ICVA has awarded the maximum of three grants, reflecting the strength and impact of this year’s proposals.
“ICVA is committed to supporting innovative research that strengthens veterinary assessments. This year’s grant recipients reflect the high standards and forward-thinking approach that drive our mission.” – Dr. Keith Poulson, Chair of the ICVA Board of Directors
Texas A&M University: “Impact of Student Demographic Background on Rubric Assessment Reliability and Consistency”
Led by Dr. Yatta Linhares Boakari, this research addresses a critical gap in veterinary education by evaluating how student demographic backgrounds may influence grading consistency when rubrics are applied to open-ended assessments. The project will validate rubrics used in a key section of the DVM curriculum (reproduction section worksheets) and assess whether demographic factors contribute to grading discrepancies. The goal is to promote more equitable grading practices across diverse student populations.
Data collection for this study commenced in the spring, and analysis will begin in the near future. Funded for two years, the research will proceed in two phases, starting with validating the rubrics in the first year and evaluating their reliability and consistency in the second year.
“We are all very excited about this grant and the opportunity to conduct this research. As DVM classes grow, finding effective ways to evaluate students becomes more challenging, and the ability to use open-ended questions is extremely helpful. However, it will be interesting to see how effective rubrics are in grading these open-ended questions for a diverse group of students.” – Dr. Yatta Linhares Boakari
The second recipient of the ICVA 2024 Assessment Grant, a research team from Texas Tech University, is exploring new ways to improve clinical assessments for veterinary students. Their project focuses on evaluating three standard-setting methods for Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), with the goal of improving the accuracy and consistency of assessing students' clinical competencies.
Texas Tech University: “Evaluating Three Standard-Setting Methods for a 13-Station Integrated OSCE and Their Relationship with Mini-CEX Assessment”
This study, led by Dr. Elpida Artemiou, evaluates standard-setting methods in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and their connection to clinical performance. Texas Tech University’s DVM program emphasizes hands-on, community-based learning to prepare students for primary veterinary care, making accurate assessment methods essential for measuring clinical competencies.
The research will compare three standard-setting methods—borderline regression, Angoff, and Hofstee—by analyzing pass/fail outcomes in a 13-station OSCE for third-year students. It will also examine the correlation between pre-clinical OSCE scores and clinical evaluations using the mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (mini-CEX).
Data collection begins in March 2025, aiming to determine the most effective approach for assessing clinical skills while minimizing unintended impacts on student performance.
“With ICVA’s mission to provide world-class examinations that protect the public, and animal health and welfare, we are truly honored to have been selected. We strive to enhance the quality of assessment at our institution while also contributing to the advancement of educational assessment globally.” – Dr. Elpida Artemiou
The third recipient of the ICVA 2024 Assessment Grant—a team of researchers from Ohio State University—presents a research proposal focused on improving the consistency of clinical assessments. Their study explores how standardized training for assessors can enhance the reliability of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) throughout the clinical year.
The Ohio State University: “The Effect of Standardized Training on Assessor Perception and Scoring of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in the Clinical Year of a Curriculum-Based Veterinary Medical Program”
At The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU CVM), Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are used for assessing veterinary students’ ability to perform key tasks that demonstrate their professional competencies. However, OSU CVM has noticed that entrustability scores remain relatively unchanged across the clinical year, despite a positive upward trend in students' end-of-rotation summative evaluations. This lack of variation in entrustability scores prompted the need for further investigation to determine whether assessors’ scoring practices might be contributing to this pattern.
This research, led by Dr. Missy Matusicky, will involve providing a group of clinical assessors with standardized training on how to evaluate students using the entrustability scale before assessing students in the next academic year. The study will then compare the entrustability scores given by trained assessors to those assigned by untrained clinicians. By examining this difference, the study will explore whether standardized training can improve the accuracy and variation in the assessment of students' progress throughout the clinical year.
The study is set to begin faculty training in June 2025, with data collection to follow.
“We are thrilled to receive the ICVA grant and want to thank them for supporting this research. This grant highlights the importance of educational research in veterinary medicine and demonstrates to learners that the organization behind their NAVLE values implementing evidence-based practices throughout their program.” – Dr. Missy Matusicky
2025 Assessment Grant Applications
2025 Assessment Grant announcements and forms will be available in April. The deadline for a Letter of Intent for the ICVA Assessment Grant Program is June 30. All interested applicants are encouraged to review the grant requirements and deadlines. For questions regarding the grant competition or inquiries about how best to proceed, please contact Dr. Kent Hecker.