Priority Index: A Tool in Assessment Blueprinting

Abstract Background and Objective: A blueprint is a map and design plan of assessment that links the learning objective and its educational outcome, according to its weightage. Various methods can determine the weightage of a topic, but the most widely used method is to assign a priority index (PI) to a particular topic or competency. The present study was undertaken with an aim to describe the process of blueprinting of assessment of a pharmacology curriculum after assigning a PI and to evaluate its effect as a tool to increase the content validity of the assessment. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on MBBS Phase 2 students of batch 2021. The study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology of Government Doon Medical College, Dehradun, and the associated Doon Hospital. A group discussion was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology after sensitization of the importance of blueprinting. The calculation of the PI for every topic in the pharmacology curriculum was done. A blueprint was prepared for the assessment after assigning a Priority Index (PI) to each topic. Question papers were then set for the pre-university examination and administered accordingly. After the examination, feedback was collected from both students and faculty to understand their perceptions of the question papers, particularly regarding the prioritization given to each topic. Results: MBBS Phase 2 batch 2021 students (125) and faculty (6) of the Department of Pharmacology participated in the study. Among 125 students, 75 were female, and among 6 faculty, 4 were female. The students and faculty experienced a uniform distribution of questions across the paper (93.6% and 100%, respectively). Most (71.5% of students and 87% of faculty) of the participants reported that question papers were balanced as per weightage assigned by the PI. All of them felt that the examination was quite fair and reliable. Conclusion: Blueprinting a curriculum with evidence-based prioritization could be the best tool for assessing all learning domains in congruence with the learning objective and relative weightage of each topic. It makes the assessment clear, explicit, and transparent for all those involved in the process of learning.