[Evaluation of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in surgery and orthopedics by medical students].
BACKGROUND
The objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) has become an established form of examination. However, for general and orthopedic surgery it has barely been evaluated. Therefore, the present study was performed to analyze the OSCE in surgery by the students of the University of Ulm.


METHODS
In total 304 medical students undertaking the OSCE were included in the study. The students were asked to fill out a standardized questionnaire which contained different evaluation parameters, such as test adequacy, comprehensibility, balance, difficulty, atmosphere and clinical relevance as well as self-assessment and overall rating.


RESULTS
In the overall rating the OSCE was rated as having a clinical relevance. The preferred preparation strategies were the clinical traineeship and standard medical textbooks. Altogether, the OSCE was chosen as the preferred future examination method, followed by multiple choice testing and clinical practical examination.


CONCLUSIONS
The evaluation of the OSCE by the medical students at the University of Ulm showed a high acceptance rate as well as a high clinical relevance.
Kalbitz
M
M
Klinik für Unfallchirurgie, Hand-, Plastische- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, Zentrum für Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm , Steinhövelstr. 9, 89075, Ulm, Deutschland.
Liener
U
U
Kornmann
M
M
Gebhard
F
F
Huber-Lang
M
M
D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*