title: Reliability and validity of OSCE checklists used to assess the communication skills of undergraduate medical students: A systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore inter-rater agreement between reviewers comparing reliability and validity of checklist forms that claim to assess the communication skills of undergraduate medical students in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Papers explaining rubrics of OSCE checklist forms were identified from Pubmed, Embase, PsycINFO, and the ProQuest Education Databases up to 2013. Included were those studies that report empirical validity or reliability values for the communication skills assessment checklists used. Excluded were those papers that did not report reliability or validity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Papers focusing on generic communication skills, history taking, physician-patient communication, interviewing, negotiating treatment, information giving, empathy and 18 other domains (ICC -0.12-1) were identified. Regarding the validity and reliability of the communication skills checklists, agreement between reviewers was 0.45.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heterogeneity in the rubrics used in the assessment of communication skills and a lack of agreement between reviewers makes comparison of student competences within and across institutions difficult.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consideration should be afforded to the adoption of a standardized measurement instrument to assess communication skills in undergraduate medical education. Future research will focus upon evaluating the potential impact of adoption of a standardized measurement instrument.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Bantul, Indonesia. Electronic address: wsetyonugroho@umy.ac.id.
authors.forename: Winny
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Setyonugroho
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, College or Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland. Electronic address: kieran.kennedy@nuigalway.ie.
authors.forename: Kieran M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, College or Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland. Electronic address: thomas.kropmans@nuigalway.ie.
authors.forename: Thomas J B
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kropmans
keywords: Assessment; Communication skills; OSCE; Systematic review; Undergraduate medical education