Repurposing asynchronous video interview software for virtual pharmacy OSCEs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required pharmacy educators to seek creative and innovative ways of delivering learning outcomes in the virtual environment. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) have been particularly challenging to deliver online. Objective: To explore the use of asynchronous video interview software as a platform for virtual OSCEs in pharmacy education, and for conducting brief structured research interviews. Method: Fourth year Bachelor of Pharmacy students at an Australian university, were interviewed via asynchronous video interview software (Big Interview) about their perceptions of using the platform for virtual OSCEs. Results: 37 students (92.5%) used Big Interview to complete at least one summative OSCE case during a team-based simulation. Seven research interviews were recorded by six students. Positive comments focussed on facilitation of self-reflection and self-correction in patient questioning and counselling. Negative views concerned the lack of authenticity, including the robotic and artificial nature of interactions. Conclusion: Asynchronous video interview software for pharmacy OSCEs may assist formative learning and self-reflection, offering an adjunct to, but not replacement of, in-person communication

Virtualized Gamified Pharmacy Simulation during COVID-19

“…In contrast, while the Big Interview platform allowed for asynchronous virtual OSCEs to be undertaken during the pandemic, students observed that the one-sided nature of the consultations lost some of the real-world authenticity of live and synchronous patient interactions. It was recommended that in future learning and teaching, Big Interview might be better suited to junior pharmacy students, providing them an avenue to self-reflect on and self-correct their own patient communication skills safely [20]. This has since been adopted, and Big Interview now serves as the key platform for both formative and summative asynchronous OSCEs for first and second year pharmacy students enrolled in the Griffith University Bachelor of Pharmacy degree program.…”

“…The OSCEs could be recorded if necessary. Asynchronous OSCEs were also completed each day using the Big Interview platform [19], which was originally designed for asynchronous video interviews but repurposed in this context for virtual OSCEs [20]. Teams were provided with an access code for the daily cases.…”

“…Once completed, the game manager distributed the links to teams' video responses to academic and pharmacist colleagues for assessment. Additional details of this adaptation have been published elsewhere [20]. As with other activities, marking rubrics were converted to Microsoft Forms templates.…”