The first formal report on the design, implementation, and evaluation of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to assess the clinical skills of clinical psychology students in Iran
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22424243 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Zahra Alsadat Haji Seyed Taghiya Taghavi (0000-0003-3065-0832, Islamic Azad University South Tehran Branch), Mehdi Vatanpour (0000-0002-8205-2087, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, corresponding author), Marzieh Pahlevan (0000-0003-2431-3688, Islamic Azad University South Tehran Branch) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-18 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | BMC Medical Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1472-6920 • E-ISSN: 1472-6920 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1186/s12909-026-08768-w |
| PMID | 41709198 |
| OpenAlex | W7130435242 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 29 |
BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to provide the first formal report on the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for assessing the clinical skills of clinical psychology students in Iran. METHODS: This analytical study encompassed all stages of designing, implementing, and evaluating a clinical psychology OSCE. The examination was conducted in 2024 at the Faculty of Welfare and Health Social Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, for all 90 final-year master’s students in clinical psychology. The clinical psychology OSCE consisted of nine separate stations. Each station was assessed via evaluation checklists previously developed by the university professors. After assessing the students, the test’s reliability and validity were examined. Students’ opinions on the examination were also analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. RESULTS: The results indicate that the test has appropriate validity and reliability. The mean scores for the evaluation, interview, hospital procedures, treatment, and overall score were 17.44 (SD = 1.68), 16.61 (SD = 2.98), 17.18 (SD = 2.27), 17.84 (SD = 1.94), and 17.26 (SD = 1.41) (out of 20 points), respectively. Additionally, various sections of the test showed a good correlation with the overall score obtained. The overall score was also significantly correlated with the total grade point average (GPA) of the master’s students (P < 0.001; r = 0.54), demonstrating the criterion validity of the test. The obtained Cronbach’s alpha among the scores of different sections of the test was 0.68, indicating an acceptable level of reliability. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of student feedback regarding the OSCE exam revealed the appropriateness of the method and execution, despite insufficient time at some stations, and lack of prior practice. CONCLUSIONS: Although the OSCE has rarely been utilized in clinical psychology within Middle Eastern countries, its structured assessment of practical skills makes it a suitable method for evaluating the clinical competencies of students in this field.
Educational measurement · Final examination · Medical psychology · Objective structured clinical examination · Physical examination · Validity · Innovations in Medical Education · Medical Education and Admissions · Simulation-Based Education in Healthcare
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| Highly cited | No |
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