Prior participation as a standardized patient improves OSCE scores of third-year medical students: A pilot comparative study at Université Paris Cité Medical School

Abstract

Objective

Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) are one of the main modalities of skills’ assessment of medical students. We aimed to evaluate the educational value of the participation of third-year medical students in OSCE as standardized patients.

Methods

We conducted a pilot OSCE session where third-year students participated in sixth-year students’ OSCE as standardized patients (cases). Their scores in their own subsequent OSCE exams were compared with third-year students who had not participated (controls). Students’ perceptions (stress, preparedness, ease) regarding their OSCE were compared with self-administered questionnaires.

Results

A total of 42 students were included (9 cases and 33 controls). Median [IQR] overall score (out of 20 points) obtained by the cases was 17 [16.3–18] versus 14.5 [12.7–16.3] for controls (p < 0.001). Students’ perception of their evaluation (difficulty, stress, communication) was not significantly different between cases and controls. Most cases agreed that their participation was beneficial in reducing their stress (67%), increasing their preparedness (78%) and improving their communication skills (100%). All cases agreed that this participation should be offered more widely.

Conclusion

Students’ participation in OSCE as standardized patients led to better performance on their own OSCE and were considered beneficial. This approach could be more broadly generalized to improve student performance.

Keywords:

• Objective structured clinical examinations
• medical studies
• medical students
• skills
• standardized patients

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Faculté de Santé – Université Paris Cité staff and pedagogical committee, and all participating students.

Author contribution

All authors contributed to the manuscript. YN, VDLT were responsible for conception and design. YN, AN, AG, OM, ML, GR, MS, CL, AP, ATD, DB was responsible for data collection. YN was responsible for the statistical analyses. All authors were responsible for the interpretation of data. YN wrote the first version of the manuscript. All authors critically revised and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

None of the authors declared any competing interest associated with the present study.

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

No funding has been received for the present study.

Notes on contributors

Yann Nguyen

Yann Nguyen, MD, PhD, is an academic internal medicine physician, with an interest in medical education and OSCE.

Alexandre Nuzzo

Alexandre Nuzzo, MD, PhD, is a consultant gastroenterologist and associate professor at the Université Paris Cité School of Medicine.

Ariane Gross

Ariane Gross, MD, is an academic geriatrician.

Océane Minka

Oceane Minka, MD, is an emergency physician with an interest in medical education.

Matthieu Lilamand

Matthieu Lilamand, MD, PhD, is an academic geriatrician with an interest in neurocognitive disorders and medical education.

Geoffrey Rossi

Geoffrey Rossi, MD, MSc, is an internal medicine and infectious diseases physician, with an interest in medical education.

Manuel Sanchez

Manuel Sanchez, MD, PhD, is an academic geriatrician, with an interest in nutrition.

Catherine Legué

Catherine Legué, MD, is a geriatrician.

Annabelle Pourbaix

Annabelle Pourbaix, MD, MSc, is an internal medicine and infectious disease practitioner.

Alexy Tran Dinh

Alexy Tran Dinh, MD, PhD, is an academic anesthesiologist and intensivist, with an interest in medical education.

Sacha Rozencwajg

Sacha Rozencwajg, MD, PhD, is an academic anesthesiologist and intensivist, with an interest in medical education.

Lina Khider

Lina Khider, MD, PhD, is an academic vascular medicine practitioner, with an interest in medical education.

Nathan Peiffer-Smadja

Nathan Peiffer-Smadja, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of Infectious and Tropical Diseases in Bichat hospital and Université Paris Cité.

Donia Bouzid

Donia Bouzid, MD, PhD, is an academic emergency physician, with experience in organizing large-scale OSCE at Université Paris Cité.

Albert Faye

Albert Faye, MD, PhD, is an academic pediatrician with an interest in medical education.

Tristan Mirault

Tristan Mirault, MD, PhD, FESC, is an academic vascular medicine practitioner and became coordinator of the Université Paris Cité medical school OSCEs program during the study period.

Victoire de Lastours

Victoire de Lastours, MD PhD, is an Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases academic, and Head of international relations for Université Paris Cité medical school.