REEVALUATING MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS: MBBS STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVES ON EXAMINATION PATTERNS AND TEACHING METHODOLOGIES

Introduction The Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum was introduced in India to produce clinically competent and well-rounded medical graduates. This study explores students' perspectives on CBME-based examinations and teaching methodologies to identify areas for improvement. Aim & Objectives The study aims to assess MBBS students' feedback on current assessment methods, challenges faced, preferred alternatives, and the integration of teaching and evaluation strategies. Materials & Methods A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 705 MBBS students from various Indian medical colleges. Responses were collected via an online survey and analysed to identify trends in assessment preferences and teaching effectiveness. Results Students preferred clinical and reasoning based questions over traditional formats. Lecture-based teaching was rated poorly, while interactive, case-based, and problem-solving approaches were favoured. Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) and Self-Directed Learning (SDL) were found beneficial but lacked structured implementation. High stress levels were reported due to theoretical overload. Conclusion Medical education reforms are needed to enhance student engagement, ensure competency-driven assessments, and improve faculty training. A shift towards interactive, practical, and structured teaching methodologies is recommended for better learning outcomes.