Developing Self-Assessment Skills in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of the study was to describe the integration of self-assessments into the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as a part of reflective practice in clinical education. An emphasis was placed on the process of student learning to complement the existing comprehensive patient care assessment model.

Methods: Student self-assessment data was captured three times throughout patient care experiences during the clinical education period and measured against corresponding faculty assessments of students at these times in the predoctoral dental program.

Results: Analysis revealed that there were some disciplines in which faculty and student assessments were moderately reliable; however, as students progressed through the clinical program, their overall self-assessments did not have a higher correlation with faculty assessments.

Conclusion: The OSCE can be designed as a useful tool in measuring non-traditional competencies and provide an opportunity for students to self-assess their learning. However, further emphasis on self-assessment skills for students needs to be incorporated as they progress through clinical programs.