(190) Review of Objective Structured Clinical Examination Practices within Doctor of Pharmacy Programs

Objective : To provide an updated description of the current objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) practices within pharmacy schools in the United States and identify barriers to OSCE implementation and expansion.

Methods: A survey was provided to all accredited PharmD programs within the United States between March 2021 and October 2021. The survey collected information about current OSCE and Teaching OSCE (TOSCE) practices as well as barriers to OSCE implementation and expansion.

Results: Of the 135 accredited PharmD programs identified, 109 (81%) programs competed the survey. In total, 93 programs (85%) reported using OSCEs to assess students, however implementation throughout the curriculum and current practices varied by institution. Fewer programs (n=50, 46%) use TOSCEs to improve learning. Most programs embed OSCEs within specific courses (n= 89, 96%), with the applied skills coursework being the most utilized (n=74, 80%). The number of OSCEs executed annually among programs varied, with the majority of schools executing ten or more OSCEs (n=20, 22%). However, a large number of programs offer a range of three to six OSCEs annually (n=50, 55%). Common barriers identified for OSCE implementation and expansion included faculty workload (n=81, 87%), concern for consistency among evaluators (n=51, 55%), lack of faculty participation (n=39, 42%), and cost (n=35, 38%).

Conclusions: Most PharmD programs use OSCEs to assess clinical abilities, however there is widespread variability in OSCE practices, implementation and utilization. Common barriers exist and are related to resource utilization. Standards/best practices for OSCE implementation and administration within schools of pharmacy should be considered.