title: Examiner Fatigue and Ability to Concentrate in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations for Physical Therapist Students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the effect of time, method of scoring, and method of recording on examiners' self-perceived fatigue and ability to concentrate, and if those factors have any effect on scoring student performance by the examiners during the administration of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two clinicians and faculty were recruited to participate as examiners of two OSCEs in this study. The examiners were asked to rate their perceived level of fatigue and ability to concentrate at the end of pre-determined blocks of time during two OSCEs using a visual analog scale. Data were analyzed using a mixed-model multi-way ANOVA for repeated measures and paired t-tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both OSCEs, there was a significant difference over time, with examiner fatigue increasing over time (p<0.05) and the ability to concentrate decreasing over time (p<0.05). In one OSCE, there was a significant difference in student performance scores, with lower performance scores over time (p<0.05). There was a significant difference between paper and electronic recording in fatigue (p>0.009), with paper showing more fatigue than the electronic recording.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study demonstrate that fatigue and ability to concentrate are factors to consider when conducting an OSCE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy Education, Rockhurst University, 1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA. Tel 816-501-4871, fax 816-501-4643. marcie.swift@rockhurst.edu.
authors.forename: Marcie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spake
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005178:Faculty / Q000523:psychology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students