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Journal of Medical Education

Abstract

Purpose: There is a paucity of student involvement in assessment quality assurance (QA) processes despite a supposed student-centeredness of innovative medical curricula. The authors therefore initiated student involvement through a survey of students' perception of the OSCE. Method: Following focused group discussions a short questionnaire probing perceptions of the organization and validity of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was administered to a cross-section of students of the International Medical University (IMU) in 2009. This was complemented by faculty (examiners) feedback. A total of 787 students (4 cohorts) from semesters 3 and 5, and 30 examiners were surveyed. Results: The students expressed satisfaction with the organization of the OSCE, its comprehensiveness, and fairness. They expressed worries about OSCE questions outside the taught syllabus, insufficiency of time for OSCE stations, reliability of simulated patients' portrayal, and examiners teaching or giving feedback. There was a division among examiners on need for feedback within the OSCE. Faculty perceived the OSCE as fair, well-organized and with sufficient time allocation. Conclusion: This one-sided positive perception by faculty probably explains the long absence of initiative to explore students' perspectives on the OSCE QA process. The literature suggests this attitude is a common curriculum malady and the current results concur by revealing students' worries which could impinge negatively on the validity and fairness of the OSCE, and on the learning environment. This study has triggered an awareness of the need for student involvement in the OSCE QA process which is now a regular feature in the IMU.

First Page

9

Last Page

21

DOI

10.6145/jme.201203_16(1).0002

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