Perception of students about objective structured pattern of examination for summative assessment in pharmacology department

Background: Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) is globally implemented and beneficial system that is utilized for assessing students in practical examination. It is used to assess the competency based on objective testing through direct observation. It comprised several “Stations,” in which examinees are expected to perform variety of practical tasks within specified time period against criteria formulated to practical skill, thus demonstrating competency of skills or attitude. OSPE is very useful to evaluate their ability to obtain or interpret data, solve the problem, teach, and communicate. Aims and Objectives: The primary objective is to obtain student’s perception toward OSPE and study the effectiveness of OSPE as a tool for summative assessment also quality care assurance of OSPE. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in January 2022 at our institute. A total 197 students were enrolled after obtaining verbal consent for summative assessment (University Exam). The assessment was carried out for 4 days with different batches per day. Each student attended six different OSPE stations. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire from students. Perception of students was assessed on the basis of 5-point Likert-scale. Results: Majority of students (82%) agreed that the sequence of stations was appropriate. For instance, they also agreed (82%) that time allotted at stations was adequate. Regarding examination environment, 83% of students agree that it was appropriate for the conduct of exam. Majority (79%) number of students agreed that OSPE helps to evaluate wide range of knowledge. About 81% of students felt that stations covered major competencies. Conclusion: Although OSPE is a laborious and time intensive assessment tool, the present study showed several advantages of OSPE as a structural, organized, and fair assessment method for summative assessment.