Two educational experiments developed to verify if senior medical students could act as examiners in an Osce of basic clinical skills are described. In the first experience, 6 interns and 6 staff members assessed 59 students from the traditional curriculum in a 6-station Osce structured to assess medical history, physical examination and communication skills. The scores attributed by the staff members were higher than that of the students in all but the communication skill station. However, no significant difference was found among scores except in one physical examination station (p < 0,001) (Wilcoxon test). In the second experience, 15 interns from the traditional curriculum and 9 staff members assessed 58 PBL curriculum students in a 3-station Osce to assess clinical history, physical examination and manipulation of sterilized gloves. The students were paired to the staff members and an independent assessment was done using the same protocol. In 50% of the stations the mean scores attributed by the staff members and students were significantly different. This fact however was apparently due to a significant variability among the staff members' scores, what did not occur in the students' scores (p < 0,05) (Wilcoxon test, Anova - Turkey, Dunn). We conclude stating that senior students can be used as reliable examiners in a clinical skills Osce for junior students. The variability in the scores attributed by the students for the same task seems to be inferior than it is in the scores attributed by the staff members.
Educational Measurement; Teaching; Education; Medical
