The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) categorizes medical competence into six related domains: medical knowledge, patient care, professionalism, communication and interpersonal skills, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice (Epstein, 2007, Turner 2008). Assessment tools have evolved to test these different components and the format of final examinations at the end of undergraduate and postgraduate medical training has shown significant change over the past forty years, all in an attempt to improve the reliability and validity of the process.
The patient is increasingly more aware and demanding of what is expected of a doctor – to diagnose and treat his condition whilst maintaining a certain …show more content…
Before this, the clinical examination of many medical schools involved a 40 min to 1 hour long case, and several short cases (Sood, 2001; Norcini, 2002). Similarly, The University of the West Indies (UWI) changed over to use of the OSCE in 2004 (Hickling, 2005). Indeed, even though research to investigate the reliability, validity, objectivity, and feasibility of OSCE testing is still ongoing, OSCEs quickly became established as a regular method of learner assessment. As of 2004, 94 of the 126 accredited US medical schools require a comprehensive OSCE test, compared to only 49 schools with such a requirement in 1998 (Barzansky2004 as cited by Turner, …show more content…
Preparing for OSCEs is very different from preparing for an examination on theory. Practice is important in achieving the skills needed, and then to apply theoretical knowledge in considering several differential diagnoses and appropriate management. All skills that will result in a safe and competent physician!
Competence should be considered a habit of lifelong learning and assessment plays an integral role in helping students identify and respond to their own learning needs and styles. In addition to a good knowledge base, clinical competence involves many other skills, including interviewing and interpersonal skills, physical examination skills, problem-solving abilities, and technical skills.
The assessment of competence (what the student or physician is able to do) should provide insight into actual performance (what he or she does habitually when not observed), as well as the capacity to adapt to change, find and generate new knowledge, and improve overall performance (Epstein, 2007).
There are, however, criticisms that the OSCE stations can never be truly standardised and objective in the same way as a written
The patient is increasingly more aware and demanding of what is expected of a doctor – to diagnose and treat his condition whilst maintaining a certain …show more content…
Before this, the clinical examination of many medical schools involved a 40 min to 1 hour long case, and several short cases (Sood, 2001; Norcini, 2002). Similarly, The University of the West Indies (UWI) changed over to use of the OSCE in 2004 (Hickling, 2005). Indeed, even though research to investigate the reliability, validity, objectivity, and feasibility of OSCE testing is still ongoing, OSCEs quickly became established as a regular method of learner assessment. As of 2004, 94 of the 126 accredited US medical schools require a comprehensive OSCE test, compared to only 49 schools with such a requirement in 1998 (Barzansky2004 as cited by Turner, …show more content…
Preparing for OSCEs is very different from preparing for an examination on theory. Practice is important in achieving the skills needed, and then to apply theoretical knowledge in considering several differential diagnoses and appropriate management. All skills that will result in a safe and competent physician!
Competence should be considered a habit of lifelong learning and assessment plays an integral role in helping students identify and respond to their own learning needs and styles. In addition to a good knowledge base, clinical competence involves many other skills, including interviewing and interpersonal skills, physical examination skills, problem-solving abilities, and technical skills.
The assessment of competence (what the student or physician is able to do) should provide insight into actual performance (what he or she does habitually when not observed), as well as the capacity to adapt to change, find and generate new knowledge, and improve overall performance (Epstein, 2007).
There are, however, criticisms that the OSCE stations can never be truly standardised and objective in the same way as a written