Prioritization of factors by medical faculty towards introduction of centralized, objective structured clinical and practical examination

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To prioritize the factors required for the implementation of the centralized, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) to standardize the clinical examination across the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive survey following quantitative study design was conducted at four medical colleges from Peshawar, Pakistan, from October 2019 to January 2020. All study participants were practically involved in planning and executing OSCE/OSPE. A 20-item survey questionnaire was developed based on the protocol given in AMEE guide-87. All the validation steps, including pilot testing, were followed. Responses were analysed using SPSS-22. RESULTS: Out of 100 faculty members where 72 participants responded. Thirty-eight (52.7%) participants belonged to private sector, 35 (48.6%) were working as demonstrators and 30 (41.7%) as assistant professors. Overall, 44 (61.1%) & 54 (75%) faculty members had some training in OSCE and OSPE respectively. The factors which were highly prioritized included central administration and management (65%), adequate human resource (64%), recruitment of examiners by the implementing body (61%), development of central OSCE/OSPE bank (60%), trained staff (57%), trained standardized patients (53%), the consensus for appropriate marking (50%), coordinated meetings before start of assessment (47%), closed-circuit television surveillance (26%), equipment provision by the examining body (21%), single venue for OSCE/OSPE conduction (19%), and traveling of students to the desired locations (10%). CONCLUSION: The survey revealed that the central administrative body, training of faculty and staff, development of central OSCE/OSPE bank, and provision of equipment are integral to the implementation of centralized OSCE/OSPE.