Objective Structured Clinical Examination Stations Research Articles

A teamwork OSCE station – Encompassing shared decision making between a doctor, pharmacist and patient

Background and purposeTeamwork with a focus on incorporating interprofessional education (IPE) is a core skill taught in pharmacy curriculum. Including the patient in shared decision making has become a more empathetic and holistic approach to care. Teamwork skills and approaches are usually assessed by peers via group work. Educational activity and settingA teamwork Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) station was implemented in 2022 in two countries, conducted in final year pharmacy students where students had to solve a clinical scenario with a doctor and patient in the room and manage any resistances to therapy recommendations. Students were marked on their collaborative skills and how they articulated clinical evidence to justify their therapy recommendations to reach an optimal goal to suit the team. Perception data from students simulated patients and doctors were also collected. FindingsAcross both countries (n = 414), the overall mean score was 79.1% (24.0%SD) across six different OSCE cases. Students generally struggled with the concept of engaging in a two-way conversation, and often presented their full recommendations without any breaks to confirm understanding or agreement. Simulated patients appreciated the OSCE showing a patient role in decision making. Simulated doctors valued the OSCE for its assessment of clinical justification in times of disagreement. Overall, 86.2% of students (n = 354) agreed or strongly agreed the station assessed their teamwork skills adequately. SummaryA teamwork OSCE station is a valuable assessment for assessing shared decision making skills and more work around prepare students to engage in two-way conversations is needed.

Inter-observer variance of examiner scoring in urology Objective Structured Clinical Examinations.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is an attractive tool of competency assessment in a high-stakes summative exam. An advantage of the OSCE is the ability to assess more realistic context, content, and procedures. Each year, the Queen's Urology Exam Skills Training (QUEST) is attended by graduating Canadian urology residents to simulate their upcoming board exams. The exam consists of a written component and an OSCE. The aim of this study was to determine the inter-observer consistency of scoring between two examiners of an OSCE for a given candidate. Thirty-nine participants in 2020 and 37 participants in 2021 completed four stations of OSCEs virtually over the Zoom platform. Each candidate was examined and scored independently by two different faculty urologists in a blinded fashion at each station. The OSCE scoring consisted of a checklist rating scale for each question. An intra-class correlation (ICC) analysis was conducted to determine the inter-rater reliability of the two examiners for each of the four OSCE stations in both the 2020 and 2021 OSCEs. For the 2020 data, the prostate cancer station scores were most strongly correlated (ICC 0.746, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.556-0.862, p<0.001). This was followed by the general urology station (ICC 0.688, 95% CI 0.464-0.829, p<0.001), the urinary incontinence station (ICC 0.638, 95% CI 0.403-0.794, p<0.001), and finally the nephrolithiasis station (ICC 0.472, 95% CI 0.183-0.686, p<0.001). For the 2021 data, the renal cancer station had the highest ICC at 0.866 (95% CI 0.754-0.930, p<0.001). This was followed by the nephrolithiasis station (ICC 0.817, 95% CI 0.673-0.901, p<0.001), the pediatric station (ICC 0.809, 95% CI 0.660-0.897, p<0.001), and finally the andrology station (ICC 0.804, 95% CI 0.649-0.895, p<0.001). A Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated for all stations, and all show a positive correlation with global exam scores. It is noteworthy that some stations were more predictive of overall performance, but this did not necessarily mean better ICC scores for these stations. Given a specific clinical scenario in an OSCE exam, inter-rater reliability of scoring can be compromised on occasion. Care should be taken when high-stakes decisions about promotion are made based on OSCEs with limited standardization.

Evaluation of an OSCE's implementation and a two-step approach for a theoretical and practical training program in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a well-known assessment method to evaluate clinical skills and competence in healthcare. Following the recently reformed National Competence-Based Catalog of Learning Objectives in Medicine, the implementation of this assessment method in the training program for medical students is now obligatory in Germany. This major change requires a reorganization not only of the training programs but also of the students themselves and the way they learn. We performed a poll evaluating the students' opinions regarding these major changes and the implementation of the OSCE with a new training program. To implement this assessment method and to evaluate the OSCE, Kern's six-step approach comprising (1) problem identification and general needs assessment, (2) needs assessment of the targeted learners, (3) goals and objectives, (4) educational strategies, (5) implementation, and (6) evaluation and feedback was applied. To evaluate and gather feedback, a poll was used to analyze the student's opinions regarding OSCE in gynecology and obstetrics and OSCE in general, in addition to the regular analysis of the students' results. To reform the educational strategy, a two-step approach was developed: First, the students completed the regular training program and a written examination, and second, they participated in a 1-week clerkship, in small group teaching, and in the OSCE. The OSCE stations were developed primarily based on the National Competence-Based Catalog and the German Catalog of Learning Objectives in Medicine, as well as on the feedback of experts reflecting their expectations for physicians beginning their careers. The students performed well in the OSCE and gave positive feedback regarding this examination method. Furthermore, they welcomed the upcoming changes by considering OSCE a valuable assessment tool, and they showed appreciation for the two-step approach by supporting the combination of an OSCE and a written examination. Thus, this article presents the implementation of an OSCE and a strategy for the adaptation of the curriculum to fulfill the new OSCE requirements and-to our knowledge-reveals students' primary opinions regarding the changes in their medical training program for the first time.

Virtual patients improve history-taking competence and confidence in medical students

PurposeKlark is a novel online medical education tool (www.klark-cases.com) where students take histories from virtual patients with common presentations from multiple specialities. We investigated whether Klark could enhance student confidence and competence in history-taking, and whether students find Klark helpful.MethodsA single cohort of first-year clinical medical students had access to Klark for three weeks. At both ends of the trial, participants were asked to complete feedback forms and participate in two mock Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) history stations. Outcome measures included self-reported confidence and competence in history-taking, performance in OSCE stations, and qualitative user experience data.ResultsSeventy participants successfully completed a case on Klark (mean 18.7), of which 63 (90% user retention) completed ≥ 2 cases. Self-reported competence (p < 0.001) and confidence (p < 0.001) improved. Participants found Klark to be helpful, impactful, and would recommend it to other students. OSCE scores improved for medical (57% vs. 69%, p < 0.001) and surgical (58% vs. 70%, p < 0.001) histories.ConclusionsKlark improved competence and confidence in history-taking. Students found it helpful and chose to continue using the platform. By developing confidence and competence at their own pace in the Klark simulated environment, students can then maximise benefit from in-person clinical opportunities.

A level of trust: Exploring entrustable professional activities as a feedback tool in a skills lab

IntroductionThere is a lack of data on use of entrustable professional activitie (EPA) statements and levels of entrustment as a feedback tool in pharmacy education. This study examined EPAs as a feedback tool for student pharmacists in a skills lab series. MethodsEighty-seven third-year student pharmacists ranked their perceived level of entrustment using a three-point scale for 13 EPA core statements in two consecutive semesters. Each semester, students were provided with an individualized EPA report that disclosed the levels of entrustment generated from a feedback model. These levels of entrustment were determined based on student performance in objective structured clinical examination stations and high-stakes activities. The primary objective compared the difference in median entrustment scores between the self-assessment survey and the feedback model. Changes over time in self-assessment accuracy and bias were explored as secondary objectives. ResultsA significant difference was observed between self-assessment and feedback scores for most EPAs in both the fall (Z = −2.38) and spring semesters (Z = −7.77). Self-assessment accuracy significantly improved over time. (T1 = 0.67, T2 = 0.62). Students displayed under confidence of self-assessment in the fall and overconfidence in spring. The Cronbach's alpha values for the study instruments were above 0.8, indicating good reliability. ConclusionsThe difference between self-assessment and feedback scores highlighted the potential of using EPAs to enhance self-awareness and provide feedback in a skills lab series. Self-evaluation of EPAs in a skills lab may also benefit student development as self-reported growth in autonomy was observed over time.

A Pilot Study on Testing Real Life Delivery Room Experience by Direct Observation and Supervised “Hands-on” Component in Imparting Neonatal Resuscitation Skill to Intern Doctor

Background Intern doctors are often incompetent to perform neonatal resuscitation, which is an essential skill and core competency area of pediatric curriculum. Methods We aimed to analyze the impact of direct observation and supervised “hands-on” component along with standard basic neonatal resuscitation training for intern doctors. An educational interventional study was conducted among interns after being approved by ethics committee. Mannequin based Basic neonatal resuscitation training of intern doctors was demonstrated. After that one week observership for real-life experience in NICU was given, where they observed minimum 5 delivery calls under the supervision of senior resident/faculty. Learning gain of the interns was analyzed by comparing the pre- and post-training test score. Knowledge based questions and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) stations were used for the assessment. The OSCE was used to check the skills acquisition among intern doctors. Interns post workshop and post observership feedback in the form of reflection were analyzed. Faculty’s feedback in the form of reflection was analyzed. Results A total of 8 interns completed both pre and post training test for the level 2 evaluation-learning gain. Mean test scores of knowledge based questions and OSCE increased significantly from 85% to 97.5% and 33.33% to 100%, respectively. Pre- and post-workshop OSCE revealed 100% achievement of clinical skill of neonatal resuscitation. Intern doctors perceive that NRP training program improved their confidence levels and decreased the fear to perform neonatal resuscitation during first golden hour of life to save life of newborn. BNRP program is one of the core components to impart a clinical skill as an integral part of learning during internships. Conclusion Direct observation and supervised “hands-on” component as an additional teaching-learning method was well perceived and competency of interns for neonatal resuscitation was significantly enhanced. BNRCP competent IMG/intern being the first contact physician will be able to survive the newborn and contribute in decreasing neonatal mortality rate.

Pre-COVID and COVID experience of objective structured clinical examination as a learning tool for post-graduate residents in Obstetrics & Gynecology-a quality improvement study.

Due to its comprehensive, reliable, and valid format, the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is the gold standard for assessing the clinical competency of medical students. In the present study, we evaluated the importance of the OSCE as a learning tool for postgraduate (PG) residents assessing their junior undergraduate students. We further aimed to analyze quality improvement during the pre-coronavirus disease (COVID) and COVID periods. This quality-improvement interventional study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The PG residents were trained to conduct the OSCE. A formal feedback form was distributed to 22 participants, and their responses were analyzed using a five-point Likert scale. Fishbone analysis was performed, and the 'plan-do-study-act' (PDSA) cycle was implemented to improve the OSCE. Most of the residents (95%) believed that this examination system was extremely fair and covered a wide range of clinical skills and knowledge. Further, 4.5% believed it was more labor- and resource intensive and time-consuming. Eighteen (81.8%) residents stated that they had learned all three domains: communication skills, time management skills, and a stepwise approach to clinical scenarios. The PDSA cycle was run eight times, resulting in a dramatic improvement (from 30% to 70%) in the knowledge and clinical skills of PGs and the standard of OSCE. The OSCE can be used as a learning tool for young assessors who are receptive to novel tools. The involvement of PGs in the OSCE improved their communication skills and helped overcome human resource limitations while manning various OSCE stations.

Objective structured clinical examination as a competency assessment tool of students’ readiness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences in South Korea: a pilot study

BackgroundThe assessment of pharmacy students’ readiness to begin the education of an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in clinical pharmacy settings continues to gain increasing attention. This study aimed to develop an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in the core domains acquired through an introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE), for evaluating its appropriateness as a tool of assessing clinical pharmacist competency for APPEs in Korean pharmacy students throughout a pilot study.MethodsOSCE’s core competency domains and case scenarios were developed through a literature review, ideation by researchers, and external experts’ consensus by a Delphi method. A prospective single-arm pilot test was conducted to implement the OSCE for Korean pharmacy students who completed a 60-h course of in-class simulation IPPE. Their competencies were assessed by four assessors in each OSCE station with a pass-fail grading system accompanied by a scoring rubric.ResultsOSCE competency areas including patient counseling, provision of drug information, over-the-counter (OTC) counseling, and pharmaceutical care services were developed with four interactive and one non-interactive cases. Twenty pharmacy students participated in the OSCE pilot test, and their competencies were evaluated by 20 assessors. The performance rate was the lowest in the area of patient counseling for a respiratory inhaler (32.1%) and the highest (79.7%) in OTC counseling for constipation. The students had an average performance rate of 60.4% in their communication skills. Most participants agreed on the appropriateness, necessity, and effectiveness of the OSCE in evaluating pharmacy students’ clinical performance and communication skills.ConclusionsThe OSCE model can be used to assess pharmacy students’ readiness for off-campus clinical pharmacy practice experience. Our pilot study suggests the necessity of conducting an OSCE domain-based adjustment of difficulty levels, and strengthening simulation-based IPPE education.

MP66-19 INTER-OBSERVER RELIABILITY OF EXAMINER SCORING ON HIGH STAKES UROLOGY OBJECTIVE STRUCTURED CLINICAL EXAMINATION

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP66-19 INTER-OBSERVER RELIABILITY OF EXAMINER SCORING ON HIGH STAKES UROLOGY OBJECTIVE STRUCTURED CLINICAL EXAMINATION Charles Paco, Iain Macintyre, and Naji Touma Charles PacoCharles Paco More articles by this author , Iain MacintyreIain Macintyre More articles by this author , and Naji ToumaNaji Touma More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003329.19AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is an attractive tool of competency assessment in a high stakes summative exam. An advantage of the OSCE is the ability to assess more realistic context, content and procedures. Each year, the Queen’s Urology Exam Skills Training (QUEST) is attended by graduating Canadian urology residents to simulate their upcoming board exams. The exam consists of a written component and an OSCE. The aim of this study was to determine the inter-observer consistency of scoring between two examiners of an OSCE for a given candidate. METHODS: 39 participants in 2020 and 37 participants in 2021 completed four stations OSCEs virtually over the Zoom platform. Each candidate was examined and scored independently by 2 different faculty urologists in a blinded fashion at each station. The OSCE scoring consisted of a checklist rating scale for each question. An intra class correlation (ICC) analysis was conducted to determine the inter-rater reliability of the two examiners for each of the four OSCE stations in both the 2020 and 2021 OSCEs. RESULTS: For the 2020 data, the prostate cancer station scores were most strongly correlated (ICC 0.746, 95% CI (0.556-0.862) p<0.001). This was followed by the general urology station (ICC 0.688, 95% CI (0.464-0.829) p<0.001, the urinary incontinence station (ICC 0.638 95% CI (0.403- 0.794) p<0.001) and finally the nephrolithiasis station 0.472 95% CI (0.183-0.686) p<0.001). For the 2021 data, the renal cancer station had the highest ICC at 0.866 (95% CI (0.754-0.930) p<0.001). This was followed by the nephrolithiasis station (ICC 0.817 95% CI (0.673-0.901) p<0.001), the pediatric station (ICC 0.809, 95% CI (0.660-0.897) p<0.001) and finally the andrology station (ICC 0.804, 95% CI (649-0.895) p<0.001). Values less than 0.5 are indicative of poor reliability, values between 0.5 and 0.75 indicate moderate reliability, values between 0.75 and 0.9 indicate good reliability, and values greater than 0.90 indicate excellent reliability. CONCLUSIONS: Given a specific clinical scenario in an OSCE exam, inter-rater reliability of scoring can be compromised on occasion. The factors determining this divergence in examiner agreement will need further research to help elucidate, especially if OSCEs are continued as the gold standard in high stakes examinations. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e941 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Charles Paco More articles by this author Iain Macintyre More articles by this author Naji Touma More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Assessment Through Objective Structured Clinical Examination: How to Promote the Satisfaction of Physiotherapy Students

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of physiotherapy students with the general structure of objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).&#x0D; Materials and Methods: A researcher-made questionnaire consisting of eight items was distributed to 43 graduate and undergraduate physiotherapy students to evaluate the general structure of OSCE. Data analysis was done through SPSS software v. 20, considering a significance level of P&lt;0.05.&#x0D; Results: Among 43 participants with a mean age of 23.7±2.4 years old, the percentage of desirable attitude toward attractiveness of the OSCE was 46.6%, being fair was 21%, identifying strengths and weaknesses was 53.5%, the ability to assess knowledge and information was 11.7%, good assessment of practical skills was 30.3%, good assessment of clinical diagnosis skills was 34.9%, and appropriateness was 34.9%. In total, 88.4% of the participants believed that OSCE increases students’ stress. The total satisfaction of all the participants with the OSCE was 2.7±0.8, with last year’s students significantly less than graduate ones (2.6±0.9 vs 2.9±0.3).&#x0D; Conclusion: The findings showed that the satisfaction of physiotherapy students regarding the general structure of the OSCE was not desirable, and OSCE was considered stressful. Therefore, due to the importance of OSCE in assessing clinical skills, it is better to improve the quality of holding the OSCE by fixing existent shortcomings, including shortness of time at each OSCE station and establishing training sessions.

Preparatory surgical bootcamp: An effective form of training with a positive impact on self-confidence and procedural skills of the residents

• Pre-internship surgical bootcamps improve knowledge and residents’ self-confidence. • Perceived usefulness may be correlated with feelings of ease and competence. • Surgical training delivery at a time of transition is acclaimed by the students. • Medical students show low levels of acute stress before they begin their internship. To evaluate the impact of a bootcamp for new residents in surgery, in terms of both knowledge and skills improvement and psychological support. Prospective inclusion of all the 59 new residents in surgery from 2018 to 2020. Analysis of their perception of the training and comparison of the bootcamp and control groups ( n = 9, including the residents who could not attend the bootcamp) with respect to the results of their skills evaluations and surgical knowledge. A two-day bootcamp is organized every year in October since 2013 at the All'Sims simulation center (University Hospital, Angers, France) just before the beginning of the internship. A subsequent skills evaluation takes place partly in the operating room and partly as an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). New residents from the different surgical specialties and gynecology, after having given their written consent. Among the 50 residents who attended the bootcamp, knowledge in surgical skills improved by 10% ( p <0.001). The median skills score on each OSCE station was at least one point higher in the bootcamp group than in the control group, predominantly in the suturing task (13.9+/-3.0 vs 11.5 +/- 1.6, p = 0.03). The reported usefulness level of the different surgical skills training when evaluated in consideration of daily practice varied from 50% to 95%. Feelings of ease and competency were quite well correlated with the reported usefulness of a given skill, especially since the task was a more generic one. Preparatory courses are of great interest for all surgical specialties as they improve procedural skills and knowledge as well as self-confidence during the first weeks of a resident's internship. As medical training continues to vary significantly between the different universities, such surgical curricula should be developed at a national level to standardize the surgical level of all new residents

Exploring the situational motivation of medical students through clinical medicine level test: a cross-sectional study

China's Clinical Medicine Level Test (CMLT) was designed to evaluate the key factors that affect the learning outcome of medical students prior to entering clinical practice. In this study, we systemically analyzed the performance of a cohort of medical students at Jinan University School of Medicine participating in the recent CMLT. The analytical results of the medical students' written and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) scores showed that their academic performance was predominantly associated with students' internship allocations, although other demographic characteristics such as sex, age, geographical origin of students, and grade point average (GPA) might be sporadically related to the students' OSCE performance at different OSCE stations. To explore the inherent reasons behind this, a survey was implemented among the medical students who participated in the examination to further interpret the factors influencing the students' learning outcome. The findings of this questionnaire manifested that intrinsic motivation and identified regulation acted as the major motivational profiles for the medical students from three different internship sites, whereas external regulation emerged as the crucial factor to make the students perform well academically in the CMLT. The result of this study suggested that strengthening the quality control of the clinical learning environment and improving medical administration may still be the most effective approaches to ensure the quality of clinical medical education.

Refreshing medical students’ intravenous-cannulation skills: a blinded observer three-arm randomised comparison of mental imagery, part-task trainer simulation and written instructions

IntroductionIntravenous cannulation is a core competence in medicine, but is considered challenging to learn. This study investigates the effectiveness of three educational strategies used to refresh the intravenous cannulation skills...

Effect of phone call distraction on the performance of medical students in an OSCE

BackgroundThe usage of smartphones in the daily clinical routine is an essential aspect however it seems that they also present an important distractor that needs to be evaluated. The aim of this prospective study was the evaluation of the influence of phone calls as distractors on the performance levels of medical students during an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), simulating the normal clinical practice.MethodsAs the goal of an OSCE presents the examination of clinical skills of medical students in a realistic setting, more than 100 students recruited from the university hospital of Cologne participated in either OSCE I or II. During the OSCE I intravenous cannulation was simulated while OSCE II simulated an acute abdominal pain station. Participants had to perform each of these stations under two circumstances: a normal simulated OSCE and an OSCE station with phone call distraction. Their performance during both simulations was then evaluated.ResultsIn OSCE I students achieved significantly more points in the intravenous cannulation station if they were not distracted by phone calls (M=6.44 vs M=5.95). In OSCE II students achieved significantly more points in the acute abdominal pain station if they were not distracted by phone calls (M=7.59 vs M=6.84). While comparing only those students that completed both stations in OSCE I/II participating students achieved significantly more points in both OSCE I and II if they were not distracted by phone calls.ConclusionThe presented data shows that phone call distraction decreases the performance level of medical students during an OSCE station. Therefore, it is an indicator that distraction especially for younger doctors should be held to a minimum. On a second note distraction should be integrated in the medical education system as it plays an important role in clinical routine.

Construção e validação de estação OSCE para avaliação da habilidade técnica de cricotireoidostomia por punção

Covid-19 pandemic reinforced the intrinsic need for training and evaluation of technical skills involving airway manipulation to stabilize the victim according to their needs. Puncture cricothyroidotomy is a rare procedure in the emergency department, although being a required skill when other alternatives fail. In this regard, this study’s objective was to build and validate a simulated setting in the Objective Structured Clinical Examination modality to evaluate the technical skill to perform puncture cricothyroidotomy. This is a methodological study, respecting the stages of translation, construction and validation inherent to the method. The research originated a script for the Objective Structured Clinical Examination station for teaching the puncture cricothyroidotomy skills. It was concluded that the evaluation of technical skills can be done with efficacy and reliability in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination setting, using validated instruments that provide a standardized and replicable evaluation in several places.

A systematic review of effective quality feedback measurement tools used in clinical skills assessment

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a valid tool to assess the clinical skills of medical students. Feedback after OSCE is essential for student improvement and safe clinical practice. Many examiners do not provide helpful or insightful feedback in the text space provided after OSCE stations, which may adversely affect learning outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the best determinants for quality written feedback in the field of medicine. Methods: PubMed, Medline, Embase, CINHAL, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant literature up to February 2021. We included studies that described the quality of good/effective feedback in clinical skills assessment in the field of medicine. Four independent reviewers extracted determinants used to assess the quality of written feedback. The percentage agreement and kappa coefficients were calculated for each determinant. The ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions) tool was used to assess the risk of bias. Results: 14 studies were included in this systematic review. 10 determinants were identified for assessing feedback. The determinants with the highest agreement among reviewers were specific, described gap, balanced, constructive and behavioural; with kappa values of 0.79, 0.45, 0.33, 0.33 and 0.26 respectively. All other determinants had low agreement (kappa values below 0.22) indicating that even though they have been used in the literature, they might not be applicable for good quality feedback. The risk of bias was low or moderate overall. Conclusions: This work suggests that good quality written feedback should be specific, balanced, and constructive in nature, and should describe the gap in student learning as well as observed behavioural actions in the exams. Integrating these determinants in OSCE assessment will help guide and support educators for providing effective feedback for the learner.

Development of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination Station for Pediatric Occupational Therapy and an Evaluation of Its Quality.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a highly valued measure of students' clinical competencies in medical education. However, few studies have reported on the administration of the OSCE in pediatric occupational therapy education. To describe the development of a pediatric occupational therapy OSCE station to evaluate students' use of a standardized assessment and examine its standard setting, failure rates, and psychometric properties. Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study design. Three OSCE stations in a university clinical skills center. Five experienced occupational therapists, 60 examinees, 44 child standardized patients, 44 chaperones, and 15 examiners. The sum of the rating scale and the global performance scores were used. The rating scale measured the examinee's clinical competences in administering a standardized assessment. The 5-point global performance score was used to evaluate the examinee's whole performance. The OCSE station's expert validity was acceptable (item-level content validity index [CVI] = 0.8-1.0; scale-level CVI = 0.98). Passing scores according to the Angoff method (passing score = 14) and the contrasting-groups M-SD method (passing score = 13) were similar. Failure rates were high (61.7%-73.3%). Internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach's α = .78). No significant examiner effect was found (p = .554), and interexaminer reliability was acceptable (item score = 0.58-1.00; sum of the rating scale score = 0.97; global performance score = 0.79). The OSCE station for using a standardized assessment is a reliable and valid measure of students' interpersonal communication skills and assessment skills. What This Article Adds: The OSCE for education in pediatric occupational therapy is both effective and rigorous.

Innovative Method to Digitize a Web-Based OSCE Evaluation System for Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in University Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

PurposeThe Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a standard academic assessment tool in the field of medical education. This study presents an innovative method for digitizing OSCE evaluation system for medical students and explores its efficacy compared to the traditional paper-based system, through the analysis of a User Satisfaction Survey.MethodsA cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study involving a User Satisfaction Survey to evaluate assessors’ attitudes toward and acceptance of the Computerized Web-based OSCE Evaluation System (COES) was used. Fifth-year medical students at a College of Medicine were assessed clinically through their 2019 end-of-year OSCE examination by 30 examiners in five different OSCE stations. The traditional paper-based stations were converted into an online electronic version using QuestionPro software. Answers were filled in using smart tablets (iPads). QR codes were used for students’ identification at each station to fully digitize the process and save time. After the completion of the exam, a User Satisfaction Survey was sent electronically to all examiners to evaluate their experiences with the new system.ResultsThe response rate for the survey was 100% with an internal consistency of 0.83. Almost all the examiners (29, 97%) were satisfied with the application of the COES. Further, 72% of the examiners indicated that the electronic system facilitated the evaluation of the students’ skills, and 84% found using a smart device (iPad) was easier than using a paper form. All examiners expressed their preference for using the electronic system in the future.ConclusionUsers were satisfied with the utilization of the customized COES. This concept of fully digitizing the OSCE assessment process shortened the time needed for both the analysis of results and providing students with feedback. Further observational studies are needed to assess examiners’ behaviors when using this methodology.

Educational Videos as an Adjunct Learning Tool in Pre-Clinical Operative Dentistry-A Randomized Control Trial.

Background: E-learning is an important adjunct used for teaching clinical skills in medicine dentistry. This study evaluated and compared the effectiveness of e-learning resources as an additional teaching aid to traditional teaching methods in male and female students and based on CGPA scores in a pre-clinical operative skill course. Methods: A randomized control trial was conducted in the College of Dentistry, Jouf University, to assess the impact of e-learning resources in learning clinical skills in a pre-clinical operative dentistry course. Fifty second-year dental students were randomly divided into two groups, with 25 students each. Group A (control group) was taught using traditional teaching methods, and Group B (intervention group) used e-learning resources along with traditional methods. Both groups were assessed using objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs). Standardized forms prepared by faculty members were used to assess the students. The students also filled in a questionnaire afterwards to provide feedback regarding the e-learning resources. Results: The difference between both groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Female students performed better in three OSCE stations out of six. Furthermore, the students positively responded to the use of additional resources. Conclusion: The use of e-learning resources in pre-clinical operative dentistry courses can be a useful adjunct to traditional teaching methods and can result in better learning of dental pre-clinical operative skills.

The 3-D Skills Model: a Randomised Controlled Pilot Study Comparing a Novel 1\u20131 Near-Peer Teaching Model to a Formative OSCE with Self-regulated Practice

IntroductionNear-peer teaching is a popular pedagogical teaching tool, with well-recognised benefits for students and tutors. There are multiple existing models to structure these interventions, but it is often unclear how they translate to academic attainment. We designed a novel near-peer teaching model that expands on previous research.MethodsOur model was piloted in a formative Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) setting, trialled on 22 pre-clinical medical students to establish feasibility, acceptability and descriptive outcomes that could inform the design of a larger study. Students were randomly assigned to intervention or control cohorts. Each cohort undertook 5 min formative OSCE assessments with either 3 additional minutes of structured teaching or 3 min of self-regulated practice before reattempting the first OSCE station. Checklist marking sheets for 1st and 2nd sittings were collected by independent external markers, in addition to a global assessment rating in which we used the Borderline Regression Method to establish the station pass mark.ResultsA quantitative and qualitative result analysis was performed, demonstrating that students gained on average 3 additional marks after teaching with this model. Students and student-tutors reported increased confidence, high course satisfaction and evidence of reflective practice.DiscussionWe established acceptability and feasibility outcomes. The descriptive outcomes will support the design of a larger, adequately powered study required to demonstrate translation to summative exam performance.