Going “high stakes” with a pharmacy OSCE: Lessons learned in the transition

Objectives(1) To describe the experiences of the Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy (AUHSOP) in implementing a high-stakes Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) into its curriculum, (2) to examine the extent to which student performance on OSCEs used in the skills laboratory course correlates with performance on the high-stakes Milestone OSCE, and (3) to examine differences in scores between Milestone OSCEs used for formative feedback versus high-stakes consequences.MethodsTwo consecutive years of third professional year pharmacy student (P3) scores on the skills laboratory OSCE and the Milestone OSCE were examined. Correlations and t-tests were calculated between scores using a matched-pairs design. Pass rates were compared between formative and high-stakes Milestone OSCE scores.ResultsStatistically significant although low positive correlations were found between the analytical checklist scores on the two OSCEs. The passing rate on the Milestone increased significantly when the examination became used in a high-stakes manner.ConclusionsResults indicate that, although there is room for improvement, the high-stakes Milestone OSCE is an appropriate assessment for the curriculum, complementing the OSCEs embedded in laboratory courses. A description of lessons learned is offered to assist other schools implementing OSCEs in their programs.