Feasibility and Effectiveness of Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Assessment of Field Visits in Community Medicine for Undergraduate Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction : The Graduate Medical Education Regulation (GMR) 2019 in the curricular reforms recommends that “Shows How” level of the Miller's Pyramid is assessed through long case, Objective Structured Clinical Examination and Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini CEX). Objectives : 1. To utilize OSCE for assessing Field Visits carried out by Undergraduate medical students as formative assessment. 2. To find out the feasibility and effectiveness of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in Community Medicine. Method : An Educational Innovation Pilot Project was carried out in the department rd of Community Medicine of a Medical College in India. A pilot (18) of 3 MBBS students were assessed through Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for epidemiological case study of malaria assigned to the author faculty. These students were also exposed to the oral viva. The analysis of the assessment was through assessment of codes of the procedure stations through checklists and mean scores of procedure and response stations. Qualitative analysis of emerging themes and quantitative analysis as likert scale were utilized for evaluation of the exam were used. Results : The mean score of all response stations was 5.1. Almost all students felt that OSCE was better than the conventional oral viva in assessing skills. Furthermore, almost all students and faculties suggested that it should gradually become a part of curriculum and scaled to entire and other batches with suggested modifications. The residents who participated as simulated cases found it to be a novel experience and a different kind of learning process. Conclusion : It is feasible to introduce OSCE with some modifications in assessing skills acquired in field visits in Community Case Management.