AUTHOR=Plöger Ruben , Abramian Alina , Egger Eva Katharina , Mustea Alexander , Sänger Nicole , Plöger Hannah , Weber Eva , Gembruch Ulrich , Walter Adeline , Strizek Brigitte , Recker Florian 

TITLE=Evaluation of an OSCE’s implementation and a two-step approach for a theoretical and practical training program in Obstetrics and Gynecology

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1263862

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2023.1263862

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a well-known assessment method to evaluate clinical skills and competence in health care. Following the recently reformed national competence-based catalogue of learning objectives in medicine the implementation of this assessment method in the training program for medical students is now obligatory in Germany. This major change requires a reorganization not only of the training programs but of the students themselves and the way they learn. Therefore, we performed a poll evaluating the students’ opinions regarding these major changes and implemented the OSCE with a new training program. To implement this assessment method and to evaluate the OSCE, Kern’s six step approach comprising of (1) problem identification and general needs assessment, (2) needs assessment of the targeted learners, (3) goals and objectives, (4) educational strategies, (5) implementation, and (6) evaluation and feedback was applied. To evaluate and gather feedback, a poll was used to analyze the student’s opinions regarding this OSCE and OSCE in general, in addition to the regular analysis of the students’ results. To reform the educational strategy a two-step approach was developed: Firstly, the students completed the regular training program and a written exam, and secondly, they participated in a one-week clerkship, in small-group-teaching, and in the OSCE. The OSCE stations were developed primarily based on the national competence-based catalogue and the German catalogue of learning objectives in medicine, as well as on the feedback of experts reflecting their expectations for physicians beginning their career. The students performed well in the OSCE and gave positive feedback regarding this exam method. Furthermore, they welcomed the upcoming changes by considering OSCE a valuable assessment tool, and they showed appreciation for the two-step approach by supporting the combination of an OSCE and a written exam. Thus, this paper presents the implementation of an OSCE and a strategy for the adaptation of the curriculum to fulfill the new OSCE requirements and – to our knowledge - reveals students’ primary opinions regarding the changes in their medical training program for the first time.