Development and Pilot Testing of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are crucial for evaluating clinical skills.
• Standardized patients enhance the realism and effectiveness of OSCEs.
• Assessing competency in diagnosing and managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) requires specialized tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an OSCE for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
• To test the reliability and feasibility of the OSCE in assessing residents' clinical skills.
• To evaluate the OSCE's effectiveness in assessing multiple core competencies using standardized patients.

Main Methods:

• Developed a 2-station OSCE for OSA assessment.
• Utilized a standardized patient for the first station, with video-recorded encounters for faculty evaluation.
• Created a computer-based second station using a modified Delphi technique.
• Implemented standardized checklists for performance evaluation at both stations.

Main Results:

• The developed OSCE is a feasible tool for assessing residents' ability to diagnose and manage OSA.
• Internal consistency for station 1 was 0.699 (Krippendorff's alpha).
• Internal consistency for station 2 was 0.95 (Krippendorff's alpha).

Conclusions:

• The OSCE is a feasible method for assessing clinical competency in OSA.
• This model offers targeted assessment of multiple competencies in OSA management.
• The OSCE provides opportunities for improving residents' clinical knowledge and skills in OSA.