Abstract
Objectives:This study aims to understand students’ perception of the usefulness of end-of-clerkship (EOC) as compared to professional exam Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) and to compare student performance in both examinations.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study of medical students who were studying in the final year at Shifa College of Medicine, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, and appeared in both end-of-clerkship and final professional exams. The study was conducted in October 2019. The data was collected through a self-constructed questionnaire. The scores of all participants were also recorded. The data obtained was analyzed on IBM’s statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 23 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Descriptive statistics were used for qualitative variables. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for quantitative variables. Chi-square test was also applied to assess for significant differences.Results:Out of 115 participants, 57 (49.6%) were males and 58 (50.4%) were females. Most of the participants (75.7%) agreed that both OSCEs were well-structured. Participants found that both the exams give a good cross-section of paediatrics and allowed them to learn something new (p=0.00). 45% of participants perceived that the end-of-clerkship OSCE exam helped in orienting them for the final professional exam by identifying their weaknesses.Conclusion:Although the EOC OSCE served as a good preparatory exercise, it did not alleviate the stress levels. However, the results in both OSCEs were comparable and students were satisfied with the current weightage of marks distribution.
Highlights
The assessment of a student’s clinical competence is of paramount importance, and there are several means of evaluating student performance in medical examinations
Most of the students (65.0% to 75.7%) commented positively about the structure of both end-of-clerkship and final professional Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Participants found that both the exams gave a good cross-section of paediatrics and posed an opportunity to learn something new
A similar set of statements was used in the questionnaire for final professional OSCE
Summary
The assessment of a student’s clinical competence is of paramount importance, and there are several means of evaluating student performance in medical examinations. The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is an approach to assess students in aspects of clinical competence and is evaluated in a comprehensive, consistent and structured manner, with close attention to the objectivity of the process.[1] This method has become a standard. Pak J Med Sci March - April 2021 Vol 37 No 2 www.pjms.org.pk 525 and universal format of assessment with good reliability and validity.[2]. On the other hand conducting an OSCE needs a dedicated team, time for preparing the exam, logistic support, and financially more costly as compared to other means of assessment
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