title: 'Hello, my name is Gabriel, I am the house officer, may I examine you?' or the Objective Santa Christmas Examination (OSCE).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To design a clinical examination of high content validity suitable for use as a formative assessment tool with pre-registration house officers (PRHO'S) towards the end of their first house officer post.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre collaboration between four UK medical schools who offer undergraduate curricula which are problem-based, systems-based, patient-orientated, student-centred, jargon-laden and utterly staff-bewildering.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) which is suitable for use with graduates of UK medical schools. It assesses the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for future careers in a hierarchical system where protecting the senior staff from all forms of irritation is paramount.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PRHO'S who excel in this examination get better references.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The OSCE format can be used to provide 'real-life' scenarios appropriate to the season.
authors.affiliation: St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine, Medical Unit, Royal London Hospital, London E1 1BB, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Neill
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans