OSCE question bank
Depending on where you are studying medicine and what stage you are at, you are likely to have to undertake an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). In Canada, for example, passing the OCSE is necessary before you are allowed to undertake postgraduate training.
The OSCE is not a written theory exam. You will instead be assessed on your clinical skills at a series of stations, where you will have to perform under time pressure tasks that you are likely to encounter during real-life clinical work.
While QUPI is a study-app designed specifically for written exams, using QUPI regularly can still be beneficial for your chances with the OSCE. For one, practicing your medical knowledge will certainly make you more competent in any clinical situation, where having quick access to medical knowledge is essential for making the right judgment call.
In addition, QUPI allows you to take tests under time-constrained, exam-like conditions. This allows you to practice the mental skill of quickly recalling your medical knowledge in high-pressure situations, which will serve you well in any examination including the OSCE.
To see for yourself how we can help you gain confidence for the Objective Structured Clinical Examination, take QUPI for a free spin today:
Pass OSCE with QUPI
Whether you are a medical student in Canada, the United States, or the United Kingdom, to finish your years as a trainee and to obtain a medical license – you need an OSCE. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations are types of modern tests very frequently used in various health sciences. OSCE is designed to assess a wide variety of medical competences, across various fields. The exam will test your knowledge of history taking, data gathering, communication with patients and colleagues, and more.
How does an OSCE look?
The main difference between a standard examination and an OSCE is that during an OSCE you will not simply sit in front of a sheet of paper, answering multiple-choice questions. In fact, the most frequent formula of an OSCE comprises of several stations, which usually take from 5 to 15 minutes to accomplish each. At each of these stations, you will be introduced to a clinical problem featuring either simulated or real patients, as well as several impartial examiners. Each station will provide you with a different task, such as taking the medical history of a patient or performing on him a physical examination.
Each station during an OSCE features a different examiner, which further increases its impartiality. During a traditional clinical examination, an examiner would be assigned to a candidate throughout the entirety of the exam. In an OSCE, candidates rotate around the stations in a different order. Some OSCEs feature stations in which multiple candidates have to cooperate in order to achieve a positive outcome.
During an OSCE, all candidates go through exactly the same stations, although in different orders, allowing the test to be standardized and fair. At each of the stations, all of you will receive the exact same information from the patient, giving you equal chances at succeeding. OSCE format has proved so effective that disciplines other than medicine have begun introducing them, such as engineering and law.
What is assessed during an OSCE?
The biggest part of your score during an OSCE will be the interaction with the Standardized Patient (SP). The Standardized Patients are trained to present signs and symptoms identical to those of real patients, and you should be able to consistently recognize them. Interact with the SPs in identical fashion to how you would interact with a real patient, as this is crucial to the grading.
As you proceed to interact with your SP, a Physician Examiner (PE) will be watching your encounter, grading your progress. During most OSCE stations, the examiner will ask you additional questions to which you will have to respond after your time with the SP is finished. The examiners will also be there to steer you in the right direction if you misunderstood the directions for a given station, as well as provide any further relevant information that will save you time. For example, if you require a blood pressure reading during your station, the examiner might be able to provide you the reading.
Sometimes, you might encounter a written station during an OSCE. On such occasions, you will be given standardized sheets, which are marked just like written examinations. These most often require you to write a prescription.
While the exact passing criteria are individual to every examination, each station is most often assigned an individual pass mark, with its own, standardized requirements. Depending on how well you interacted with the Standardized Patient, the examiner may add or subtract marks from your score. At the end of the exam, your marks will be calculated, and depending on how well you did, an outcome for your examination will be provided. While you do not have to pass all of the stations, there usually is a minimum number of stations that are required to pass. This is done in order to reward consistent performance, instead of performing exceptionally well at a small number of stations.
Prepare for your OSCE with QUPI!
During an OSCE, you will require practical skills and abilities along with theoretical knowledge. You must first learn the correct clinical methods and practice them until you are confident in your skills. You will also need an understanding of the theory behind your methods – a perfect task for QUPI!
QUPI is a constantly-expanding database of medical questions, currently consisting of over 10,000 questions from a number of fields and domains of medicine. You can utilize these questions to create highly customizable quizzes, constructed in a way that helps you polish the difficult areas of your study material. Knowledge of the medical theory is crucial to solving problems during an OSCE, guiding you towards the right judgment.
QUPI simulates exam-like conditions with time constraints, allowing you to better prepare yourself for the real test and gain the confidence needed to smoothly progress through an OSCE. Give QUPI a spin today with our 7 Day Free Trial!