Do students' self-reflections of performance align with their graded performance in objective structured clinical...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pharmacy Education
• Self-Reflection Analysis

Background:

• Self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses is crucial for lifelong learning and professional development.
• Accurate self-assessment of performance is vital for identifying areas needing improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the alignment between third-year undergraduate pharmacy students' self-reflections and their objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) scores.
• To identify common themes students focused on in their self-reflections as indicators of performance.

Main Methods:

• Students (n=269) completed a three-station OSCE and a written self-reflection.
• Reflections were analyzed using latent pattern content analysis, categorizing performance as "doing well (≥50%)" or "not doing well (<50%)".
• Self-reflection categories were compared against actual OSCE scores to determine alignment.

Main Results:

• A low degree of alignment was observed between students' self-reflections and their actual OSCE performance.
• This misalignment was particularly pronounced in high-achieving students scoring ≥90% on the OSCE.
• Common reflection points included time management and communication; high-achievers also noted empathy, systematic questioning, and patient teach-back.

Conclusions:

• Student self-reflections on OSCE performance do not accurately reflect their actual results, especially for high-achievers.
• High-achieving students demonstrate greater awareness of performance factors but may lack confidence.
• Educators should implement targeted feedback and reassurance to enhance high-achievers' confidence in their decision-making skills.