Bringing OSCEs into the 21st century: Why internet access is a requirement for assessment validity

Web-based resources are a vital and indispensable component of modern medical practice. However, these resources are often not made available during clinical assessments such as OSCEs, creating a divide between assessment and real-life practice. Open Resource Clinical Assessments (ORCAs) are a novel concept that allows the use of 'open book' resources such as the internet (hence 'open resource') to improve assessment validity by recreating realistic workplace conditions. This is the first discussion in the academic literature as to why this form of assessment should be a pedagogical requirement within medical education, and how to overcome the inevitable challenges in implementation. Further work is required to understand how this will impact the medical curriculum for both undergraduates and postgraduates, and to pilot this concept.