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Published on: February 26, 2020
Language background and OSCE performance: a study of potential bias
M Schoonheim-Klein1, J Hoogstraten, L Habets
1ACTA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.schoonheim@acta.nl
Summary
Non-Native dental students face challenges due to language proficiency, impacting their education and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) performance. Extending OSCE station times did not improve results for these students.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education
- Linguistic Competency in Healthcare Education
Background:
- Language proficiency is crucial for effective dental education and patient communication.
- Non-Native speakers may encounter unique challenges in academic and clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if non-native dental students perceive disadvantages in their education and examinations due to language barriers.
- To determine if increasing the duration of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) stations enhances the performance of non-native students.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire surveyed 345 dental students on perceived drawbacks related to language proficiency.
- An OSCE assessing periodontal skills was conducted with 108 students, varying test-station durations (5 vs. 10 minutes).
Main Results:
- Non-native students reported significantly more educational and examination drawbacks compared to native speakers (P < 0.001).
- Non-native students scored lower on the OSCE, particularly in communication-based stations (P = 0.034).
- Extended test-station duration did not improve OSCE performance for any student group.
Conclusions:
- Language proficiency in Dutch presents a significant drawback for non-native dental students, affecting their academic performance.
- Increased time for OSCE stations does not mitigate the performance gap for non-native students.
- Additional language support and practice are recommended for students facing language-related difficulties.
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