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| Perception and acceptance of senior medical students at King Abdulaziz University of the use of Objective Structured Clinical Examination as a tool of assessment | ||
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Authors: |
Khalid Alghamdi Bassel Katib Abdulaziz AlHoqail Talal Al-khatib |
Institutions: | KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY |
The faculty of Medicine at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia introduced the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as a tool of assessment for medical students in the last decade. In our study, we aimed to assess the perception and acceptance of an OSCE method and explored its strengths and weaknesses among senior medical students. In addition, we aimed to interpret rating of OSCE in relation to other assessment methods.
A cross-sectional survey using 46 items validated questionnaire, spread after the exam in a dispassionate time. An electronic questioner was distributed through different methods which included Short Message Service, social media websites, and posters. The questionnaire contained various domains about students’ perception of OSCE validity and reliability, and rating of OSCE in relation to other assessment methods.
Among 246 students who responded to the survey, 52% of them denied that OSCE provided opportunity tolearn real life scenarios. Interestingly, more than 80% of students showed concern about inter-evaluator and inter-patient variabilitiesas bias factors that could affect their scores. About 56% of students disagreed that time allocated per station was adequate. Passing or failing the OSCE was not a true measure of clinical skills as 77% of students admitted.
Although OSCE exam is supposed to be standardized and fair to students, our survey raised concerns regarding the conduction of OSCE stations especially regarding time allocation per station and pre exam waiting time. Other concerns were inter-evaluator and inter-patient variability, which may affect students’ scores.
OSCE is an effective and widely used method of assessment around the world, but in some places, according to the students, it is not as much as expected to be.
OSCE exam, and the way of introducing it in KAU, needs to be more evaluated and assessed to achieve the purpose of this method.
Although this survey is assessing the perception of students, we should take it in consideration especially the most significant parameters.
The research team would like to thanks all of those who helped us during the whole processes of this research. Special thanks to sixth year medical students who participated in our survey and our college which gave us an opportunity to conduct this kind of researches.
References
R.M. Harden, M. Stevenson, W.W. Downie, G.M. Wilson. Assessment of clinical competence using objective structured examination Br Med J, 1 (1975), pp. 447–451
Allen, R., Heard, J., Savidge, M., Bittergle, J., Cantrell, M., & Huffmaster, T. 1998. Surveying Students' Attitudes During the OSCE. Adv.Health Sci.Educ.Theory.Pract., 3, (3) 197-206 available from: PM:12386441
Awaisu, A., Mohamed, M.H., & Al-Efan, Q.A. 2007. Perception of pharmacy students in Malaysia on the use of objective structured clinical examinations to evaluate competence. Am.J.Pharm.Educ., 71, (6) 118 available from: PM:19503702
Bakhsh, T.M., Sibiany, A.M., Al-Mashat, F.M., Meccawy, A.A., & Al-Thubaity, F.K. 2009. Comparison of students' performance in the traditional oral clinical examination and the objective structured clinical examination. Saudi.Med.J., 30, (4) 555-557 available from: PM:19370287