OSCE Chat

PhysiologyRocks

I'm interested in hearing how everyone else here feels about OSCEs.

I'm not sure what I think- I mean, I enjoy the preparation with everyone part, but the exams feel a bit strange. They don't feel quite like real exams. And even though I'm good at first aid, I have an tendency to blank at that station.

So if you have any experiences to share, or tips, I'd love to hear.

DrIndy

They are strange. People get caught on the hop a lot and what sits on the tongue rests deeply in the brain.

I think the big problem is people lose sleep and mass cram around exam time - for an osce, you do need to be well rested instead with a sharp mind - being quick off the mark with thinking is as important as knowledge. If you are able to relax and walk up to a station and stop for 10 seconds to clear your mind - it helps.

Most examiners expect the initial long pause or verbal diaorrhea initially and will prompt you - and even if initially you get prompts - you can still do very well. No one expects everyone to be able to walk up to a completely unfamiliar setup and just be able to blurt out the entire answer. Doing a mock OSCE will really help you.

PhysiologyRocks

Had one earlier in the week. Did very well last year. The thing I notice is I leave out little things, like in a motor exam I forgot hip abduction. I would NEVER do that in real life!

And I practiced steadily.

Breezer

PhysiologyRocks wrote: »

Had one earlier in the week. Did very well last year. The thing I notice is I leave out little things, like in a motor exam I forgot hip abduction. I would NEVER do that in real life!

And I practiced steadily.

That type of thing always happens. Two hours after my most recent ones I realised I'd flexed a guy's knee instead of his hip, and I'm pretty sure I usually know the difference. If yours (UCC?) are structured similarly to UCD's, points are going for each individual thing you do, so missing one or two things shouldn't hurt you as long as you do well overall.

Of course, you do get the occasional examiner who likes to completely ignore the marking scheme or even the main question. One such type spent half a GI station getting me to talk about gout and BCCs a few months ago.

PhysiologyRocks

Breezer wrote: »

That type of thing always happens. Two hours after my most recent ones I realised I'd flexed a guy's knee instead of his hip, and I'm pretty sure I usually know the difference. If yours (UCC?) are structured similarly to UCD's, points are going for each individual thing you do, so missing one or two things shouldn't hurt you as long as you do well overall.

Got results today... very, very pleased! It was marked like that this year. Think there were a few other criteria in the past.

Either way, I'm happy!

yerayeah

I always make complete and utter sh1te of OSCEs. Have never, ever offered to wash my hands even though you're getting marks for free, in the hospital though I just wash my hands automatically, it just never occurs to me to offer to wash them in OSCEs.
Then this year, I somehow forgot about IBD and colon cancer in my differential for a patient with altered bowel habit.
I'm pretty weak at clinical stuff anyway but things that I could do on autopilot in the hospital just betray me in OSCEs!