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The first OSCE; Does students' experience of performing in public affect their results? Assessment and evaluation of admissions, knowledge, skills and attitudes

Chan, M., Bax, N., Woodley, C., Jennings, M., Nicolson, R., Chan, P. (2015) The first OSCE; Does students' experience of performing in public affect their results? Assessment and evaluation of admissions, knowledge, skills and attitudes. BMC Medical Education, 15 (1). ISSN 1472-6920. (doi:10.1186/s12909-015-0343-0) (KAR id:78324)

Abstract

Background: Personal qualities have been shown to affect students' exam results. We studied the effect of experience, and level, of public performance in music, drama, dance, sport, and debate at the time of admission to medical school as a predictor of student achievement in their first objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Methods: A single medical school cohort (n=265) sitting their first clinical exam in 2011 as third year students were studied. Pre-admission statements made at the time of application were coded for their stated achievements in the level of public performance; participation in each activity was scored 0-3, where 0 was no record, 1=leisure time activity, 2=activity at school or local level, 3=activity at district, regional or national level. These scores were correlated to OSCE results by linear regression and t-test. Comparison was made between the highest scoring students in each area, and students scoring zero by t-test. Results: There was a bell shaped distribution in public performance score in this cohort. There was no significant linear regression relationship between OSCE results and overall performance score, or between any subgroups. There was a significant difference between students with high scores in theatre, debate and vocal music areas, grouped together as verbal performance, and students scoring zero in these areas. (p<0.05, t-test) with an effect size of 0.4. Conclusions: We found modest effects from pre-admission experience of verbal performance on students' scores in the OSCE examination. As these data are taken from students' admission statements, we call into question the received wisdom that such statements are unreliable.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1186/s12909-015-0343-0
Uncontrolled keywords: Admissions statement, OSCE, Performance anxiety, Personality, achievement, cohort analysis, education, female, Great Britain, human, lifestyle, male, medical education, medical school, medical student, personality, predictive value, procedures, psychology, statistical model, study skills, task performance, young adult, Achievement, Cohort Studies, College Admission Test, Education, Medical, Undergraduate, Educational Measurement, Female, Great Britain, Humans, Life Style, Linear Models, Male, Personality, Predictive Value of Tests, Schools, Medical, Students, Medical, Task Performance and Analysis, Test Taking Skills, Young Adult
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Kent and Medway Medical School
Depositing User: Philip Chan
Date Deposited: 07 Nov 2019 11:26 UTC
Last Modified: 14 Dec 2023 04:14 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/78324 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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