Physical Therapy students’ perception of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination: a mixed methods approachABSTRACT
The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) has become a popular approach for assessing clinical competence in health programs. Although OSCE is widely acknowledged for its validity and reproducibility in assessing clinical skills, Physical Therapy students’ perceptions of this approach remain underexplored. This study aims to analyze the views of Physical Therapy students on the educational efficacy of OSCE, evaluating its strengths and weaknesses. This descriptive study with mixed method approach surveyed students about OSCE, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis. OSCE in Respiratory Physical Therapy was conducted as part of the course assessment. Physical Therapy students were invited to complete a survey addressing their perceptions of exam relevance, logistics, and impact. The instrument comprised 17 closed-ended and five open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were subjected to content analysis, performed independently by two investigators. In total, 63 students (87% women, 22.5±1.76 years) completed the survey. Overall, 73% of participants found the exam to be both relevant and effective, while 74.6% acknowledged its contribution to their learning. Additionally, 68.3% believed that the experience aided in their preparation for clinical practice. Positive and negative themes have emerged from the content analysis. For instance, positive aspects include immediate feedback at the end of the exam and simulated clinical experiences, while negative aspects encompass anxiety, time constraints, and a stressful environment. This study demonstrated that Physical Therapy students perceive OSCE as a valuable learning method. They appreciated the training it provided in human relationships for clinical practice, while simultaneously identifying stress as a notable negative aspect.
Keywords
Active Learning; Educational Assessment; Perception