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WHAT IS AN OSCE?

Writer's picture: Deejay, PA-CDeejay, PA-C

𝐎𝐒𝐂𝐄 = 𝘖𝘗𝘗𝘖𝘙𝘛𝘜𝘕𝘌 𝘚𝘐𝘛𝘜𝘈𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕 𝘍𝘖𝘙 𝘊𝘓𝘐𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘈𝘓 𝘌𝘔𝘉𝘈𝘙𝘙𝘈𝘚𝘚𝘔𝘌𝘕𝘛… ⁣

…OOPS I MEAN 𝐎𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.⁣

OSCEs are simulated live patient encounters that allow students to practice and demonstrate clinical competencies with a standardized patient (SP). It’s basically a mock patient encounter where you may do any combination of the following: perform a history and physical exam, order and interpret labs/diagnostics, formulate a treatment plan, and provide patient education. ⁣

Study the most common diseases/disorders within your given topic. The goal of the OSCE is not to trick you. 99.9% of the time the diagnosis will be blatantly obvious. Programs use this opportunity to fine-tune a student’s history taking, physical exam, and patient education skills.⁣

Your first OSCE is guaranteed to feel awkward, forced, and terribly uncomfortable (likely for you and the SP). You will say and do things that are incredibly embarrassing. I missed the most obvious diagnosis on my very first OSCE. Try not to be hard on yourself. This is a learning experience and you will be so glad you went through it when it’s time to work with real patients during clinicals. ⁣

What’s your most embarrassing OSCE story?

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