Evaluation of Clinical and Communication Skills of Pharmacy Students and Pharmacists with an Objective Structured Clinical Examination

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate how effectively pharmacy students and practicing pharmacists communicate and apply knowledge to simulations of commonly encountered patient scenarios using an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Design. Second-, third-, and fourth-year pharmacy students completed an OSCE as part of their required courses in 2012 and 2013. All students in both years completed identical OSCE cases. Licensed pharmacists were recruited to complete the OSCE and serve as controls in 2012. A survey assessed student perception and acceptance of the OSCE as well as student confidence in performance. Assessment. Licensed pharmacists had significantly higher clinical and communication skills scores than did pharmacy students. Student progression in communication and clinical skills improved significantly over time. Survey results indicated that students felt the OSCE was well-structured and assessed clinical skills taught in pharmacy school; 86% of students felt confident they could provide these skills. Conclusion. Objective structured clinical examinations can evaluate clinical competence and communication skills among professional students. Implementation of OSCEs may be an effective tool for assessment of the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education domains.

Evolving to Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCE): Transitional experience in an undergraduate pharmacy program in Kuwait

“…The working group included academic and academic-support staff from the pharmacy practice department. This group reviewed the relevant literature and examined the prevalent design, implementation, assessment, and grading system applied for final year pharmacy students ( Austin et al, 2003 , Corbo et al, 2006 , Rutter, 2001 , Shirwaikar, 2015 , Urteaga et al, 2015 , Wilby et al, 2016 , Awaisu et al, 2007 , Awaisu et al, 2010 ).…”

Transitioning Competency-Based Communication Assessments to the Online Platform: Examples and Student Outcomes

“…The pharmacy profession has been transitioning from a focus on medication preparation and dispensing roles to patient-centered clinical practice. During this evolution, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) have been increasingly utilized within pharmacy education to assess clinical skills and communication abilities [ 1 , 2 ]. The OSCE is a helpful method that allows for assessment of multiple skill sets as learners complete simulated professional tasks [ 3 ].…”

A simulação no ensino de competências para a realização de serviços farmacêuticos de âmbito clínico

“…No Brasil, apesar dos esforços para reformulação dos currículos de graduação em Farmácia 39 , persiste o ambiente tradicional de ensino, no qual essa e outras habilidades como, por exemplo, o raciocínios clínico, resolução de problemas e coleta de informações, estão integrados às aulas mas na forma de recitação 40 . Ainda observa-se, também, o uso de testes de múltipla escolha para avaliação desses componentes.…”