Wednesday, 11 November 2009

Liverpool Medical School OSCE

After 5 long months since the whole lot of stressed out 4th year Liverpool medical students sat for their final OSCE examination, I received my feedback for the summative OSCE today. It provided such little detail, only informing me whether I've passed or failed a station and which quartile that I'm in. On top of that, I received a second email giving details of requirements which are assessed in an OSCE examination, including hints and tips to get those bonus mark.

Come on, what's the point after 5 long months, when we've had forgotten everything except for the examiner who was promoting the story book that she was reading while assessing me in one of the stations.

I am lucky to have passed all the stations except for basic life support, which I have never failed in the last 7 OSCEs and now they don't even give me any details on which part went wrong and passed me. Does that mean I can go on carrying out all the other examinations and procedures properly, but maybe end up not saving some poor soul's life who I may have to carry out BLS on him/her?

What went wrong? How can I learn from the experience? I don't even remember what I did at that time. So, what's the use of the feedback?

The email kindly ended with this statement: 'This is for information only, and no further discussion of the result will be held.'

I think I can live with that.

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