Publication:

Objective structural clinical examination: a superior assessment tool for community medicine

Background Traditional assessments in community medicine usually emphasize on theoretical understanding, with a limited capacity to evaluate practical competencies. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) has been widely recognized for its structured, skill-based assessment in various clinical disciplines, though its implementation in Community Medicine remains very limited. To assess the effectiveness of OSCE in evaluating undergraduate competencies in Community Medicine subject and to compare its outcomes with the traditional viva assessments and explore the student perceptions regarding its utility.

Methods An educational interventional study was conducted on 156 MBBS students from the two MBBS batches. Participants were assessed by both traditional viva and a six-station OSCE method. The Performance scores were recorded using standardized checklists. Feedback was gathered by structured questionnaire. Paired t-test was applied for the comparative analysis and internal reliability of OSCE was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha.

Results It was seen that the students achieved significantly higher scores in OSCE (mean 13.41±6.14) as compared in the traditional viva (mean 9.09±3.89, p<0.001). The highest performance was observed in the 24-hour dietary recall station, whereas the lowest in ORS preparation. Student feedback indicated high levels of acceptance, perceived relevance and confidence gained from OSCE. Internal consistency was strong as Cronbach’s α=0.86.

Conclusions OSCE was found to be a reliable and effective assessment tool in Community Medicine subject, offering improved objectivity, skill evaluation and student engagement.