Table 3.

Comparison of the Total Performance Scores in Communication Skills between Precourse and Postcourse (n=61)

	Prea)	Postb)		F-value	p-value
		Case A	Case B
Male	49.4 (11.1)	61.6 (9.1)	70.3 (8.5)	193.97	<0.001
Female	49.8 (11.2)	61.5 (7.3)	68.5 (6.5)	81.13	<0.001
Total	49.6 (11.1)	61.5 (8.4)	69.6 (7.8)	269.54	<0.001

Data are presented as mean (standard deviation). The clinical presentation of case A was low back pain, and case B was delivering bad news of the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The possible maximum scores for pre and case A were 54 and 44 points for case B. However, to compare the difference in mean performance scores for each case, each total score was converted to 100.

^a)The first standardized patient (SP) encounter at the beginning of the course (week 2),

^b)The SP encounter at the final assessment of the course (week 10).