Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026
10:38
Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
Association Between Pre-Internship Examination Scores and OSCE Performance: Implications for Resource-Efficient
Ali Delirrooy Fard1, Arash Forouzan1, Shahrzad Mirnasouri2
1Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Summary
Pre-internship exams predict Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) performance, explaining 30% of variance. This supports integrated medical education assessments and suggests hybrid models for resource-limited settings.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Assessment in Medicine
Background:
- Competency-based medical education (CBME) requires aligning theoretical knowledge with clinical performance.
- Resource constraints in settings like Iran challenge the feasibility of separate high-stakes examinations.
- This study investigates the predictive validity of pre-internship written exams for OSCE performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the predictive relationship between pre-internship written examination scores and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) performance.
- To explore implications for redesigning sustainable assessment strategies in medical education.
- To assess the correlation between theoretical knowledge and clinical skills evaluation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analytical study of 312 sixth-year medical students.
- Analysis of pre-internship multiple-choice question (MCQ) scores and OSCE performance data.
- Statistical analysis including t-tests, Pearson correlations, multiple regression, and quartile analysis.
Main Results:
- A strong positive correlation (r=0.55) was found between pre-internship scores and OSCE performance, with theoretical knowledge explaining approximately 30% of the variance.
- Correlations were significant for both theoretical (r=0.52) and practical (r=0.48) OSCE stations, consistent across genders.
- Students in the top pre-internship quartile were significantly more likely to achieve a top OSCE quartile.
Conclusions:
- Theoretical knowledge significantly predicts clinical performance in OSCEs, supporting integrated assessment approaches.
- Findings suggest that hybrid or programmatic assessment models can enhance efficiency and reduce costs in resource-limited settings.
- Sustainable implementation of CBME can be advanced through optimized assessment strategies.
