Objective structured teaching examination (OSTE): an underused tool developed to assess clinical teaching skills. A narrative review of the literature.

Saadallah Azor Fakhouri Filho,Maria Do Patrocínio Tenório Nunes

doi:10.1590/1516-3180.2018.0308161118

Abstract

There are plenty of options for evaluating medical students and medical residents' clinical skills. Objective structured clinical evaluations (OSCEs) have emerged as a powerful and reliable tool for assessing multiple cognition domains of clinical expertise. In the same way as OSCEs have emerged to assess clinical skills, objective structured teaching evaluations (OSTEs) have come to light as promising and unbiased interventions for evaluating the act of clinical teaching. Narrative review developed at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil. We searched the literature regarding OSTEs using the MEDLINE (via PubMed) and LILACS (viaBiblioteca Virtual em Saude) databases. The SciELO library was also searched for Brazilian papers. Systematic reviews, reviews and randomized controlled trials specifically assessing how OSTEs performed in relation to development of academic staff and medical residents were then selected. Our search retrieved 178 papers, of which 40 were considered eligible for intensive review. Most of the studies selected reported positive effects from OSTE activities. However, there was little quantitative data to gauge the impact of OSTEs on improvement of teaching skills. Considering that OSCEs have become a widely used tool for assessing medical students' and residents' clinical skills, it is high time to incorporate OSTEs for evaluating teaching skills in Brazil. Encouraging data to support implementation of this assessment tool in this country is available from abroad. The net benefit from this would possibly encompass medical students, residents and academic staff, through bringing awareness about the importance of excelling in teaching skills.

Highlights

Teaching is a complex activity for which multiple methods are needed in order to properly evaluate it
We conducted a review of the literature using the MEDLINE database and the LILACS database to extract relevant articles that describe simulated activities that were performed with the specific aim of evaluating teaching skills
Attention was given to papers focusing on pre and post-objective structured teaching evaluations (OSTEs) intervention designs, validity and reliability assessments, experimental work and publications describing the process of creating OSTE scenarios

Summary

Introduction

Teaching is a complex activity for which multiple methods are needed in order to properly evaluate it. The method most used for assessing the act of teaching comprises direct observation of the activity This can be done by directors, other academic staff members (supervisors) or external evaluators (locally or with the aid of video-recorded performances). These evaluations are, in general, more time and resource-consuming than are estimates centered on tests that are based on teaching efficacy, such as national and international examinations on students’ performance. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that OSCEs have become a widely used tool for assessing medical students’ and residents’ clinical skills, it is high time to incorporate OSTEs for evaluating teaching skills in Brazil. The net benefit from this would possibly encompass medical students, residents and academic staff, through bringing awareness about the importance of excelling in teaching skills

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