The Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE): A qualitative study exploring the healthcare student’s experience

The paper relates to delivering vocational higher education to prospective building surveyors. Preparing students for the workplace requires inclusion of academic knowledge, workplace skills and practical vocational experience. This is reinforced by feedback from the four stakeholders to surveying education, learner, employer, education provider and professional institution. Successful delivery of learning to distinct vocational groups requires specific pedagogy. The paper analyses a realistic industrial simulation delivered to teach knowledge and skills to undergraduate building surveying students. Initial pedagogy was proposed by CEEBL, Centre for Excellence in Enquiry Based Learning. Work based skills requirements were taken from published work including leading building surveying academics and practitioners like Professor Mike Hoxley and Professor Malcolm Hollis. Data analysis is used to evolve future simulations. These become better suited to delivering appropriate learning, valid assessment and usable vocational skills, against academic, student focused and industrial criteria. An action research approach is utilised by the author to develop specialist pedagogy through analysis of outcome data and stakeholder feedback. Action research is undertaken through an approach using trial, evaluation and development. The paper concludes, simulation can be a valid tool for delivering teaching, learning, assessment and vocational skills training to surveying students and justifies further research

The Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE): A qualitative study exploring the healthcare student’s experience’, Student Engagement and Experience

Abstract This study explored the healthcare student's experience of an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam). The OSCE is a form of assessment in which the student demonstrates clinical skills, and underpinning knowledge, usually in simulated conditions. Historically, it has originated from medical education, and is now being adopted by other disciplines of healthcare education. Because the OSCE is a new experience for most students, it is important as educators, that we explore this assessment from the perspective of the student. A literature review revealed a paucity of research in this area. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used as this study's underpinning methodology. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with students. Analysis revealed three main themes: (1) anxiety about the OSCE, (2) preparation was a seen as a coping strategy and (3) simulation was a further cause of anxiety. Recommendations for future practice: are that students need to be supported appropriately. Preparation of students for an OSCE requires effective planning and simulation needs to be grounded in practice. This study concludes that students valued the OSCE as a worthwhile assessment. However there are major concerns for students, which need careful consideration by academic faculty developing this type of assessment