Abstract

Assessment has one of the most significant influences on student learning. Since assessments tend to direct students’ learning efforts toward the intended learning outcomes, it is prudent to consider assessment as learning tools for improving the transfer and retention of learning and can rightly be considered as the bridge between teaching and learning. Aligned to Bloom’s theory of “mastery learning,” classroom-based formative assessments, combined with the systematic correction of learning issues can provide the learner with a more appropriate quality of instruction than what is possible under more traditional instructional approaches. This article reviews the evolving concept of classroom-based formative assessments in medical education and highlights its formative potential in preclinical years of medical curriculum. The suggested schema of “formative medical classroom” explores the possibility of seamless incorporation of formative assessment classroom techniques (FACTs) within classroom instruction in preclinical medical subjects and emphasizes that integration of FACTs within instructional activities can aid in timely diagnosis of learning issues and aid in planning suitable instructional adjustments.