OSCEs & stress
In our 14 years working with clinical assessments, OSCEs and stressful are two words we frequently see and hear in the same sentence. The OSCE can be a stress inducing exam, it is tricky to prepare for and the practical nature of the exam can induce anxious feelings. However, any exam is stressful if you do not adequately prepare for it. The phrase ‘practice makes perfect’ applies to practical exams also, not just to written assessments.
The dreaded door
During our OSCE support, we have seen all types of reactions from smiles of glee to perspiration and even tears when students present themselves at the all-important door to read a scenario. It would be expected to have stomach butterflies and to feel a wave of anxiousness at this point. If you have prepared and practiced, this feeling can be used to your advantage to fuel your performance once you open the door. If you are feeling unprepared and haven’t had the opportunity to practice, the opposite could happen.
We believe you deserve more
You deserve to be able to prepare for your OSCE in a similar environment, to test your skills in real time, with real people. At this stage, you are most likely adept at learning content and scenarios. If you need help, Youtube is a great resource and Geeky Medics have excellent content. What does that leave to practice? The big difference between OSCEs and a written exam of course….
You have to talk!!
Communication is key to a good OSCE, to achieving a good outcome and to getting good results. That’s where we can help. We were one of the first to market with OSCE software in 2008, which we provide to universities and organisations globally. We are now making this software available to students all over the world to practice OSCEs. Take the fear and stress out of OSCEs by practicing your communication skills with real people, in real time.
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