Medical students completing a surgical clerkship were scored independently by faculty members, a chief resident and a written multiple-choice examination. In group I, an oral examination was administered by two faculty members together in one room, while in group II, the examiners were in separate rooms. The average oral examination grade correlated with none of the other facets of the student evaluation in group I, but did so for most parameters in group II. The correlation coefficient between the oral examination and mean grade became significant, however, for oral examinations in which five or more core topics were covered. It is concluded that even with limited professional resources, changes in the method of administering an oral examination can increase its validity.