CertLink® is an innovative technology platform for the creation of online assessment programs that drive physician professional development and learning. It is based on longitudinal assessment, a proven method to help ensure continuous acquisition of knowledge over time and the timely coverage of important topics impacting public health. This method helps physicians increase their understanding, knowledge, and skills toward achieving the practice standards for board certification.
CertLink® helps physicians learn more efficiently, not study harder. It combines the ease and automation of online assessment with the timeliness of immediate scoring, critique, and suggested resources for self-study. With the longitudinal assessment approach, questions are presented at regular intervals, requiring users to recall what was previously learned and then build on that knowledge. Incorrect answers trigger the system to repeat key information in a new question, keeping learning dynamic and continuous. Knowledge gained in this way can be more readily recalled and applied to various situations.
Upon logging in to the CertLink® platform, users are taken to their dashboard. The dashboard guides users through the assessment, providing real-time status information including personal performance and peer comparison on the questions answered, status on the number of questions remaining, and time left in the assessment period to finish answering questions and complete the assessment. From the dashboard, users can choose to begin answering questions in random order across all content areas or from within a particular content area. While answering questions, users can access several tools such as a highlighter, calculator, and scratchpad. A timer displays the amount of time allotted to answer a question. After submitting an answer, users are asked to indicate how confident they are in their response and the relevance of the question to their practice. This feedback will determine the delivery of future questions and help improve content. Users then receive immediate feedback after each question, including an explanation of the correct answer and references for additional study. The CertLink® platform also provides a question history feature allowing users to refer to the key points, critiques, and references of any previously administered questions and the associated feedback provided for those questions. Users can filter and sort through historical questions in a variety of ways to help locate supporting information for a previously administered question quickly.