The rOSCE: A remote clinical examination during COVID lockdown and beyond

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment
• Digital Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated adaptations in medical education, particularly for clinical competency assessments.
• Traditional face-to-face Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) faced challenges due to social distancing requirements.
• Maintaining patient safety and effective training for future doctors remained paramount.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and validity of a remote OSCE (rOSCE) as an alternative assessment method.
• To explore the adaptability of the rOSCE for high-stakes undergraduate clinical competency examinations.

Main Methods:

• An eight-station summative remote OSCE (rOSCE) was conducted using Microsoft Teams for three final-year medical students.
• The rOSCE content mirrored traditional OSCEs, excluding in-person clinical examinations and practical procedures.
• Training for staff and students was provided to ensure familiarity with the remote assessment platform.

Main Results:

• The rOSCE was found to be a feasible assessment tool.
• The remote assessment demonstrated high face validity among participants.
• The rOSCE provides a viable alternative to traditional OSCEs for high-stakes evaluations.

Conclusions:

• The rOSCE is a scalable and adaptable tool for undergraduate clinical competency assessments.
• Further research is warranted to explore its broader applications and long-term impact.
• Remote assessment methods like rOSCE are crucial for ensuring continuity in medical education.