Objective Structured Clinical Examinations practices across Canadian medical schools: a national overview

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are vital for evaluating clinical competencies in medical education.
• Significant variability exists in the implementation of OSCEs across different medical schools.
• Understanding current OSCE practices is essential for curriculum development and standardization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the frequency, type (formative vs. summative), and timing of OSCEs in Canadian medical schools.
• To analyze OSCE implementation across pre-clerkship and clerkship phases.
• To examine the timing of final summative OSCEs within medical programs.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to all 17 Canadian medical schools via the AFMC Clinical Skills Working Group.
• Data collection occurred during the 2023-2024 academic year.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze collected data on OSCEs.

Main Results:

• The median number of OSCEs per school was four, with a 1:2 ratio of formative to summative assessments.
• Pre-clerkship OSCEs showed a balance of formative and summative assessments.
• Clerkship and final OSCEs were predominantly summative (78% and 100%, respectively), with 65% of final OSCEs occurring in the last year.

Conclusions:

• OSCE implementation varies, reflecting diverse curricular approaches and institutional needs.
• The shift towards summative assessments in later years may prioritize certification over formative feedback.
• Findings can guide medical schools in optimizing their OSCE programs for effective competency assessment.