The Electronic Health Record Objective Structured Clinical Examination: Assessing Student Competency in Patient...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Informatics
• Clinical Skills Training

Background:

• Medical students often lack access to electronic health records (EHRs) during clinical training.
• Simulated EHR training is crucial for developing appropriate usage skills during patient encounters.
• Effective EHR use balances patient engagement with data accuracy and information safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a simulated EHR training program using an EHR Objective Structured Clinical Examination (EHR-OSCE).
• To evaluate medical students' EHR-related communication and data management skills.
• To identify specific areas of EHR proficiency and deficiency in clerkship students.

Main Methods:

• Developed and implemented an EHR-OSCE across two institutions for clerkship students.
• Collected student performance data using EHR-OSCE assessment checklists.
• Analyzed scores to evaluate communication and data management skills.

Main Results:

• Students excelled in EHR communication tasks, like maintaining eye contact and responding to patient concerns.
• Significant deficiencies were observed in EHR data management, including medical history, medication, and allergy reconciliation.
• Student EHR skills showed minimal improvement throughout the academic year, indicating insufficient clinical training.

Conclusions:

• Current clinical training may not provide adequate EHR experience for medical students.
• Further research comparing curricula across institutions is needed to understand skill development.
• National and institutional policies, alongside faculty development, are essential for comprehensive EHR education and hands-on practice.