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The Feasibility of Conducting Safe Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs) During the COVID-19 Era
Abdulrahman Alshaya1,2,3, Shuroug Alowais1,2,3, Shmeylan Alharbi1,2,3
1College of Pharmacy, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Purpose:
Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is an effective tool for learners' assessment that require hands-on performance. During the COVID-era, many schools decided to minimize all forms of in-person communication between faculty members and students to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission. We aimed to describe our experience in conducting physical OSCEs during the COVID-19 era. We also reported students' satisfaction during this time.
Materials And Methods:
Descriptive cohort study by comparing the 2019-2020 cohort to the 2020-2021 cohort. Descriptive framework for the feasibility of conducting physical OSCEs in the college of pharmacy at King Saudi Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Results:
There were no reported cases of COVID-19 transmission among students and faculty members during the OSCE assessments. Overall, the 2020-2021 cohort reported increased satisfaction compared to their peers in the 2019-2020 cohort; p < 0.05. We observed an increased need for coordination to ensure students' and staff safety while adopting machine learning applications as a public measure when possible.
Conclusion:
Owing to the implementation of clear and strong measures, it was feasible to conduct OSCEs, and there were no reported cases of COVID-19 transmission. Other universities may adopt a similar approach so as to provide an optimal educational experience while ensuring the safety of their staff and faculty.
