Student Performance on an Objective Structured Clinical Exam Delivered Both Virtually and In-Person

Abstract

ObjectivePassing a milestone objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a graduation requirement for the University of Waterloo Pharmacy students. In January 2021, the milestone OSCE was offered concurrently both virtually and in-person, with students being able to choose their desired format. The purpose of this study was to compare student performance between the 2 formats and to identify factors that may have predicted student choice of format. MethodsObjective structured clinical examination scores for in-person and virtual exam-takers were compared using 2-tailed independent t tests with Bonferroni correction. Pass rates were compared using χ2 analysis. Prior academic performance variables were analyzed to identify predictors of the chosen exam format. Student and exam personnel surveys were used to capture OSCE feedback. ResultsA total of 67 students (56%) participated in the in-person OSCE, and 52 students (44%) participated virtually. There were no significant differences in overall exam averages or pass rates between the 2 groups. However, virtual exam-takers scored lower in 2 of 7 cases. Previous academic performance did not predict the choice of exam format. Feedback surveys indicated that the exam organization was perceived as a strength regardless of format, but in-person students felt more prepared for the exam than virtual exam-takers with technical challenges and difficulty navigating station resources being noted as barriers in the virtual offering. ConclusionVirtual and in-person administration of a milestone OSCE resulted in similar student performance, with slightly lower performance on 2 individual case scores with virtual delivery. These results may inform the future development of virtual OSCEs.