PharmD students experiences on end year clerkship evaluation using objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) method at JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysuru, India

Abstract

Objectives

To assess the PharmD student's experiences about end year clerkship evaluation conducted using Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) format at JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysuru, India.

Methods

The student's experiences were captured using a newly developed, 14-item, 5-point Likert's scale feedback form. The results were analyzed and presented descriptively. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the Likert's scale responses between the sex, entry level for PharmD and performance in the end year exam, whereas the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test was used to measure the strength of association between the Likert's' scale responses and these variables. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Thirty-seven students of fifth year PharmD attended the end year clerkship evaluation and provided their feedback. Out of the 14-items, the most frequent response in eleven items was strongly agree and in three items it was agree. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed statistically significant differences between regular and postbaccalaureate students with respect to Likert's scale responses in all the domains (p < 0.02). The Spearman's rank correlation test revealed no association between the students' performance and their experiences with OSCE as an assessment tool for the end year clerkship exam.

Conclusions

The study results demonstrate that OSCE is an alternative and preferred method of evaluating the clinical skills and competencies of fifth year PharmD students in their end year clerkship exam in India.

Innovation

For the first time in India, the JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysuru, had successfully implemented the OSCE method for evaluating PharmD students' clerkship in their end year exam and had assessed their experiences about OSCE as an assessment tool.