Using the objective structured clinical examination in a psychiatry residency

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychiatry Training

Background:

• Assessing psychiatric residents' clinical competence is crucial for faculty oversight.
• Direct observation of residents is often limited, necessitating objective evaluation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
• To assess the clinical skills of psychiatric residents (PGY-2 and PGY-4).

Main Methods:

• Development of an OSCE protocol within a psychiatric residency program.
• Implementation of the OSCE to evaluate resident clinical performance.

Main Results:

• The OSCE was successfully developed and implemented.
• The examination provided a structured method for assessing clinical skills.

Conclusions:

• An OSCE is a viable tool for objectively evaluating psychiatric residents' clinical skills.
• This method enhances the assurance of resident competence in psychiatric practice.