Running the First Psychiatry OSCE in Iran and Satisfaction of Consultants, Residents, and Standardized Patients

This study aimed at reviewing how the first Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in psychiatry was conducted and at assessing appreciation of this method by the residents, con-sultants, and standardized patients (SPs) compared to the current psychiatry oral exams. A total of 22 psychiatry residents of final year were tested in 9 stations in the presence of 8 standardized patients and a conclusion station. Each station took 12 minutes. Two consultants rated the residents separately in each station based on the designed scoring tables. After the exam, consultants, residents and standardized patients were assessed by questionnaires. This assessment was repeated three weeks later and immediately after the oral board exam from the same residents. Residents described timing of the stations, information given before the exam, and capability of the OSCE in assessing competence of the residents as fair and appropriate. Seventy-five percent of the residents were happy to have participated in this exam. Most of them described the current oral board exam as not fair, not objective and even not similar to the actual clinical settings. Rater consultants also described the goals of the stations, timing, and performance of SPs as appropriate. SPs were happy to participate in this experience again too. Holding a satisfactory and accurate OSCE receives approval of the participants (residents), raters (consultants), and SPs.