Student’s Perception on Objective Structured Practical Examination in Pathology

Background: OSPE (Objective structured practical examination) which is the modification of OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) has been widely used in the assessment of student's practical performance. Aim: To evaluate student's feedback about OSPE as an assessment tool for their Laboratory exercise. Methodology: OSPE module was introduced for eighty one undergraduate medical students during the first half of their second MBBS course. Student's perception towards OSPE was assessed by means of their response to standard questionnaire. Results: OSPE has been accepted by 82 % of medical student's as a fair assessment tool, which covered a wide range of knowledge, minimized the chance of failing and highlighted area of weakness. Going through OSPE was a useful practical experience for medical students. However, 31 % of them felt that OSPE was stressful and time allotted for each station to be inadequate. Conclusion: The feedback received regarding this evaluation tool provides evidence that OSPE is an acceptable, useful assessment tool for Practical skills. Such feedback is considered valuable for further development and enhancement of OSPE