A case-controlled trial evaluating the summative performance of the 3-D skills Model.

BACKGROUND: Near-peer teaching is a popular pedagogical teaching tool however many existing models fail to demonstrate benefits in summative OSCE performance. The 3-step deconstructed (3-D)skills near-peer model was recently piloted in undergraduate medicine showing short term improvement in formative OSCE performance utilising social constructivist educational principles. This study aims to assess if 3-D skills model teaching affects summative OSCE grades. METHODS: Seventy-nine third year medical students attended a formative OSCE event at the University of Glasgow receiving an additional 3-minutes per station of either 3-D skills teaching or time-equivalent unguided practice. Students' summative OSCE results were compared against the year cohort to establish whether there was any difference in time delayed summative OSCE performance. RESULTS: 3-D skills and unguided practice cohorts had comparable demographical data and baseline formative OSCE performance. Both the 3-D skill cohort and unguided practice cohort achieved significantly higher median station pass rates at summative OSCEs than the rest of the year. This correlated to one additional station pass in the 3-D skills cohort, which would increase median grade banding from B to A. The improvement in the unguided practice cohort did not achieve educational significance. CONCLUSION: Incorporating the 3-D skills model into a formative OSCE is associated with significantly improved performance at summative OSCEs. This expands on the conflicting literature for formative OSCE sessions which have shown mixed translation to summative performance and suggests merit in institutional investment to improve clinical examination skills.

The 3-D Skills Model: a Randomised Controlled Pilot Study Comparing a Novel 1-1 Near-Peer Teaching Model to a Formative OSCE with Self-regulated Practice.

INTRODUCTION: Near-peer teaching is a popular pedagogical teaching tool, with well-recognised benefits for students and tutors. There are multiple existing models to structure these interventions, but it is often unclear how they translate to academic attainment. We designed a novel near-peer teaching model that expands on previous research. METHODS: Our model was piloted in a formative Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) setting, trialled on 22 pre-clinical medical students to establish feasibility, acceptability and descriptive outcomes that could inform the design of a larger study. Students were randomly assigned to intervention or control cohorts. Each cohort undertook 5 min formative OSCE assessments with either 3 additional minutes of structured teaching or 3 min of self-regulated practice before reattempting the first OSCE station. Checklist marking sheets for 1st and 2nd sittings were collected by independent external markers, in addition to a global assessment rating in which we used the Borderline Regression Method to establish the station pass mark. RESULTS: A quantitative and qualitative result analysis was performed, demonstrating that students gained on average 3 additional marks after teaching with this model. Students and student-tutors reported increased confidence, high course satisfaction and evidence of reflective practice. DISCUSSION: We established acceptability and feasibility outcomes. The descriptive outcomes will support the design of a larger, adequately powered study required to demonstrate translation to summative exam performance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01369-w.

Viva la VOSCE?

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown precluded face-to-face final Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) in the UK. RESULTS: In response, we rapidly developed and then successfully implemented a novel Virtual Objective Structured Clinical Examination (VOSCE). CONCLUSIONS: In this article we both describe and reflect on our experience as well as discuss the implications for future undergraduate assessment as the situation evolves.