CATALYST

About CATALYST

CATALYST, designed by the NBOME, is a dynamic learning and assessment platform that provides immediate performance feedback and educational resources after each question. This approach helps candidates reduce knowledge gaps, and assessments can be taken either in part or in whole at a candidate’s own pace.

Learning Through Assessment

Research on cognitive learning shows many effective ways to improve learning and memory. These include quizzing oneself on what they’ve learned before, getting immediate feedback, spacing out study sessions, and waiting a bit before reviewing material.^1,2In addition,practicing different skills or topics together and mixing up what has been learned can help learners remember things better in the long run.³ Medical residents, for example, have been shown to remember and apply surgical skills better when they are taught over several sessions instead of in one long session.⁴

Traditional examinations assess how a learner has performed through a pass/fail grade, or through a single score. These tests use a fixed standard to measure success.

The CATALYST platform differs through its use of formative assessment. This method focuses on how learners improve over time. It gives continuous feedback to show where they’re doing well, where they need to improve, and what topics they should focus on.

Immediate Feedback

Correct & Incorrect Answers

See what you got right or wrong in real time.

Rationales

Learn why that answer is correct and why the other choices are incorrect.

References

Get additional learning resources so you can reinforce your understanding.

Correct & Incorrect Answers

See what you got right or wrong in real time.

Rationales

Learn why that answer is correct and why the other choices are incorrect.

References

Get additional learning resources so you can reinforce your understanding.

For Individuals

CATALYST presents immediate feedback with learning resources to help medical students, residents, physicians, and health care professionals learn and retain relevant knowledge. Learners can see their relative areas of strength and where they need to focus learning efforts through independent study, reading, or continuing medical education. Questions can be answered all at once or as the learner’s schedule permits.

For Organizations

CATALYST delivers assessments over time to show organizations or individuals how learners are growing their knowledge in important concepts. An assessment delivered on the CATALYST platform could take the place of certain proctored examinations, allowing more flexibility for the organization and its stakeholders. Assessments can be customized with content for all levels of medical education and practice (students, residents, practicing physicians, or other health care professionals) and for a variety of purposes, such as knowledge review, learning new concepts, or focusing on areas that may need extra attention.

Assessments on the CATALYST platform can be accessed 24/7

Computer

Tablet

Smartphone

CATALYST App

How can learners follow their progress on CATALYST?

Learners can follow their own progress on the CATALYST dashboard, which includes the total number of questions to be answered and how long they will be available, the number of questions the learner has answered, and the number of correct and incorrect responses.

CATALYST Features

CATALYST and You

Interested in using the CATALYST platform for your organization’s assessments? Contact Client Services for more information.

Contact Client Services

For Further Reading:

CATALYST: Piloting a Longitudinal Assessment and Learning Program for Board Recertification and Continuous Professional Development

Horber DT, Flamini J, Gimpel JR, Tsai T-H, Shrum K, Hudson K. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. 2020; 120(3): 190-200. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2020.031.

Read the Full Article

References

Roediger HL & Karpicke JD. Test-Enhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention. Psychol Sci 2006; 17: 249 – 255.
Brown PC, Roediger HL, & McDaniel MA. Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 2014.
Pan SC. The Interleaving Effect: Mixing It Up Boosts Learning. Scientific American, 2015.
Moulton CA. Dubrowski A, MacRae H, Graham B, Grober E, & Reznick R. Teaching Surgical Skills: What kind of Practice Makes Perfect? A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Ann Surg 2006; 244 (3), 400- 409.