OSCEs ORIENTATION INFO SESSION

Introduction

  • Speaker introduction as Dr. [Name].

  • Recalls previous classes and orientation.

  • Mentions being a coordinator for future OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations).

Committee Members

  • Introduces Dr. Jane Chan: "Hello, I’m Dr. Jane Chan. Nice to meet all of you."

  • Introduces Dr. Mistry: "Hi, everyone. I'm Dr. Mistry, and you'll see me again in a few weeks."

Purpose of OSCEs

  • The purpose of this year’s OSCEs:

    • Provide an opportunity for student feedback and practice.

    • Emphasizes that these assessments are not graded.

  • Future grading will not affect current classes but is aimed at preparing students for practical experience.

Resources and Communication Regarding OSCEs

  • Slides available on Blackboard; encourage students to consult them.

  • Explanation of OSCE definition:

    • Stands for Objective Structured Clinical Examination.

    • Changes in responsibilities over the years as the program progresses.

OSCE Expectations

  • Focus areas for this year’s OSCE:

    • Competency in communication.

    • Ability to take a good patient history.

    • Developing medical reasoning and pharmacological knowledge, with some limitations based on course progression.

  • Teaching focus will be on gathering specific patient information and identifying discrepancies in records.

Future Plans

  • Upcoming Fall Activities:

    • In the fall, students will take a “practice OSCE” focusing on comprehensive patient assessment leading to a pharmaceutical care plan for spring assessment.

Specifics of the Current OSCE Practice

  • Logistics of the OSCE (scheduled from 12 PM to 5 PM):

    • Students will have a designated 30-minute window for their assessment.

    • Each student will receive their schedule via Blackboard on Wednesday.

    • It's important for students to be present in that entire timeframe.

  • Assessment scenario will involve a community pharmacy setting:

    • Students will interact with a standardized patient about their medications.

  • Overall duration of assessment will include feedback sessions from faculty members.

Preparation and Conduct during OSCE

  • Dress code: White coat is compulsory; no need for professional attire this year.

  • Required items for the OSCE:

    • White coat, name tag, writing utensil, student ID for verification.

  • Encounter process explained:

    • Students will receive a patient prompt and scenario sheet from an observer.

    • A minute will be allotted to read the prompt before the interaction.

    • Students are prohibited from using phones or other resources during the scenario.

Interaction Protocol

  • Interaction with standardized patient will involve:

    • Following the patient’s prompts once they introduce themselves.

    • Emphasis on smoothly opening and closing conversations with a standard greeting.

    • Examples of introductory sentences shared.

  • Assessment focuses on both global communication and an analytical checklist post-interaction.

Global Communication Assessment

  • Assessment areas:

    • Proper introduction, closing the interaction effectively.

    • Verify patient identity through name and date of birth.

    • Use logical questioning, balance open and closed questions throughout the dialogue.

  • Discussion of reasons closed ended questions may be used appropriately.

Analytical Checklist Specifics

  • Analytical checklist evaluates the methodology and sequence of gathered information:

    • Gathering patient’s history, allergies, medications, non-prescription drugs, and assessing discrepancies.

  • Importance of verifying past medical history and ensuring no assumptions are made.

Importance of Technical Communication

  • Effective communication is crucial for establishing patient trust.

    • Recommendations for maintaining a professional demeanor despite personal reactions.

Questions and Practice Recommendations

  • Encouraged practice to foster comfort with the topics discussed, especially in social history contexts.

  • Suggested to rehearse various ways to present questions and initiate discussions.

Patient Interaction and Data Gathering

  • The questioning approach:

    • Introduce purpose, state the desire to collect information.

    • Confirm patient information and proceed from established background knowledge.

    • Utilize open-ended questions initially, then follow up with closed questions to obtain specifics.

Acknowledging Discrepancies

  • Importance of recognizing discrepancies between provided medical data and patient-reported data.

    • Must inquire further into discrepancies identified during assessments, not solely record them.

Managing Patient Responses

  • Handling sensitive topics (i.e., substance use) in a non-judgmental manner is essential for rapport building.

    • Maintaining a calm demeanor in the face of unexpected patient disclosures.

Summary of Key Communication Skills

  • Open-ended questions are valuable for gathering comprehensive data but should be complemented with closed questions at appropriate times.

    • The best practice is to follow-up on answers given to ensure a complete understanding of the patient's health status.

    • Always assess patient understanding of medical terms and adjust language accordingly.

Conclusion

  • Open floor for any final questions before the OSCE day.

  • Reminders about communication and rapport-building techniques reiterated for the future clinical encounters.