Objective Structured Clinical Examination Grades Research Articles

Validation of Use of Flipped Classroom for Surgery Core Clerkships

The flipped classroom (FC) is an integrated learning paradigm that equips students with self-directed study materials before scheduled meeting times allowing for the deeper application of acquired knowledge with an instructor. There is limited data on the application of FC to clinical undergraduate medical education and particularly as it applies to a surgical clerkship. This study is a four-year retrospective study that includes two cohorts of students who matriculated through two training paradigms, traditional classroom (TC) and FC. Information regarding the FC cohort was collected from June 2018 to July 2020 (N=166). A two-year matched historical cohort of students enrolled in the clerkship and taught with the TC paradigm from June 2016 to July 2018 was used for comparison (N=157). The primary aim of this study is to assess the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) surgery shelf performance when the FC model is utilized compared to the TC model. This study will validate a prior similar study that had a smaller cohort with different secondary endpoints. Therefore, the secondary aim of this study assesses how teaching style can affect other performance metrics of a rotation (such as clinical performance, quizzes, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE), and practicums) and how time was utilized by faculty, staff, and students. There was no difference in overall NBME surgery shelf performance when comparing the FC to the traditional classroom teaching (68.94 vs 70.34, P= 0.1667). Likewise, there was no difference in quiz performance. The FC did allow instructors to spend more time in other clinical components of the curriculum leading to a significant difference in student practicum (84.2 vs 88.26, P = 0.0186) and OSCE grades (87.54 vs 90.58, P <0.0001). The surgery NBME shelf performance is not compromised by FC and therefore can be used as an alternative to traditional classroom setting for teaching medical knowledge to surgery clerkship students. In addition, the FC can improve time management for instructors allowing for improved teaching and development in other components of the surgery curriculum.

Pharmacy Students’ Perceptions and Performance on the Use of an Online Virtual Experience Tool for Practicing Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

Objective. To examine pharmacy students' performance on and perceptions regarding the use of an interactive online tool for practicing to take objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs).Methods. The Monash OSCE Virtual Experience (MOVE), an online module consisting of 20 pharmacy case scenarios with virtual patients, was piloted with final-year pharmacy students at Monash University campuses in Australia and Malaysia. A mixed methods approach that included reviewing user attempts and comparing grades, collecting student-administered questionnaires, and holding focus groups was used to examine students' perception and performance.Results. More than 99% of all students attempted at least one online case scenario in preparation for their final in-person OSCE, and 81% attempted all 20 scenarios two or more times. Ninety percent of students at the Malaysia campus and 70% of students at the Australia campus reported that MOVE was a helpful study tool for their OSCE preparation. However, a raw comparison of user attempts and OSCE grades did not find a direct correlation between online module attempts and assessment grades. Self-administered questionnaire and focus group results indicated that MOVE prepared students for targeted and time-restricted history-taking and problem-solving skills. Overall, students perceived MOVE to be a useful learning tool and a less overwhelming learning experience than were face-to-face sessions. Nevertheless, students still preferred face-to-face OSCE practice with simulated patients over online practice with virtual patients.Conclusion. The Monash OSCE Virtual Experience was perceived by our students as a flexible and useful online learning aid in preparing for their final-year OSCE However, there was no direct correlation between online practice attempts and students' exam grades.

The effect of web-based learning in pediatric basic life support (P-BLS) training

IntroductionThe immense progress in science and technology has changed our daily lives. This change has also had its impact on our educational system. In this regard, numerous studies have been found in the literature investigating the integration of new technologies in the learning-teaching process, and as such these studies led to the use of web-based educational tools as an alternative or an adjunct to the traditional learning methods. MethodOur quasi-experimental study focused on two separate teaching methods, web-based and traditional. The effectiveness of web-based learning was investigated based on an objective structured clinical examination of 177 vocational health students enrolled to Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University's 2017-spring term. The study compared the objective structured clinical examination grades of these two methods. Two groups had been formed, and the students were randomly allocated either into a study or a control group. The study group watched an online video clip, whereas the control group received a traditional lecture. Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine whether students' successful attempts statistically differ according to the educational methodology, also effective size and single factor variance analysis (ANOVA) was performed. ResultsBased on the objective structured clinical examination, the study group performed better in pediatric basic life support as opposed to the control group. ConclusionThis study suggests that the use of web-based video clips enhances the learning process and in certain subjects yields better performance results when compared to the traditional learning method. Our findings are in-line with the reported studies in the literature and provide additional insight for developing countries, where simulation based education is limited.

The Associations Between Clerkship Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Grades and Subsequent Performance

ABSTRACTConstruct: We investigated the extent of the associations between medical students' clinical competency measured by performance in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) during Obstetrics/Gynecology and Family Medicine clerkships and later performance in both undergraduate and graduate medical education. Background: There is a relative dearth of studies on the correlations between undergraduate OSCE scores and future exam performance within either undergraduate or graduate medical education and almost none on linking these simulated encounters to eventual patient care. Of the research studies that do correlate clerkship OSCE scores with future performance, these often have a small sample size and/or include only 1 clerkship. Approach: Students in USU graduating classes of 2007 through 2011 participated in the study. We investigated correlations between clerkship OSCE grades with United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, Clinical Skills, and Step 3 Exams scores as well as Postgraduate Year 1 program director's evaluation scores on Medical Expertise and Professionalism. We also conducted contingency table analysis to examine the associations between poor performance on clerkship OSCEs with failing Step 3 and receiving poor program director ratings. Results: The correlation coefficients were weak between the clerkship OSCE grades and the outcomes. The strongest correlations existed between the clerkship OSCE grades and the Step 2 CS Integrated Clinical Encounter component score, Step 2 Clinical Skills, and Step 3 scores. Contingency table associations between poor performances on both clerkships OSCEs and poor Postgraduate Year 1 Program Director ratings were significant. Conclusions: The results of this study provide additional but limited validity evidence for the use of OSCEs during clinical clerkships given their associations with subsequent performance measures.

Effects of test stress during an objective structured clinical examination.

The existence of test stress has been widely reported among professional students. To our knowledge, no studies exist that explore student stress response to objective structured clinical examinations. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible correlations between stress and objective structured clinical examination performance in a sample of chiropractic students. A total of 116 students completed a 2-part questionnaire to assess test stress and the physiological symptoms and signs of stress. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic were measured during the physical examination laboratory class within the first 3 weeks and then again just prior to their objective structured clinical examination in week 5. Statistical tests were then performed for questionnaire data, heart rate and blood pressure differences, and correlation between the objective structured clinical examination grade and symptoms and signs. Questionnaire results showed that 5.1%-22.4% of students sometimes or often felt a certain degree of stress. More than 50% had 1 or more physiological symptoms and signs of stress. The objective structured clinical examination heart rate (75.23 ± 11.20 vs 68.16 ± 8.82, p < .001), systolic blood pressure (120.43 ± 9.59 vs 114.97 ± 11.83, p < .001), and diastolic blood pressure (73.00 ± 7.93 vs 69.32 ± 7.76, p < .001) were significantly higher than baseline. There were also negative linear correlations between objective structured clinical examination grades and physiological symptoms and signs and between objective structured clinical examination grades and feeling statement score. The results support our hypothesis that chiropractic students experience stress when performing the objective structured clinical examination and that high levels of stress had a negative impact on performance.

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Objective Structured Clinical Examination: An Assessment of the Test

To determine the reliability and validity of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) for musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS). A 9-station OSCE was administered to 35 rheumatology fellows trained in MSUS and to 3 expert faculty (controls). Participants were unaware of joint health (5 diseased/4 healthy). Faculty assessors (n = 9) graded image quality with predefined checklists and a 0-5 global rating, blinded to who performed the study. Interrater reliability, correlation between a written multiple choice question examination (MCQ) and OSCE performance, and comparison of fellow OSCE results with those of the faculty were measured to determine OSCE reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity. Assessors' interrater reliability was good (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] 0.7). Score reliability was good in the normal wrist and ankle stations (ICC 0.7) and moderate in the abnormal wrist and ankle stations (ICC 0.4). MCQ grades significantly correlated with OSCE grades (r = 0.52, P < 0.01). The fellows in the bottom quartile of the MCQ scored 3.07 on the OSCE, significantly worse than the top quartile fellows (3.32) and the faculty (3.29; P < 0.01). Scores also significantly discriminated bottom quartile fellows from faculty in the normal wrist and ankle stations (3.38 versus 3.78; P < 0.01), but not in the abnormal stations (3.37 versus 3.49; P = 0.08). MSUS OSCE is a reliable and valid method for evaluation of MSUS skill. Normal joint assessment stations are more reliable than abnormal joint assessment stations and better discriminate poorly performing fellows from faculty. Therefore, MSUS OSCE with normal joints can be used for the assessment of MSUS skill competency.