Managing the COVID-19 risk: the practicalities of delivering high stakes OSCEs during a pandemic

Abstract

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the teaching and assessment of clinical skills continues to pose significant challenges for healthcare education providers worldwide. In March 2020 Duke-National University of Singapore (Duke-NUS) Medical School demonstrated how to design and implement clinical skills examinations (OSCEs) in the early phase of COVID-19. As governing bodies continue to revise restrictions to help 'flatten the curve', educational institutions have to undertake a rapid review of assessment practices and adapt to this ever-changing environment. This case study describes the risk-assessments and challenges faced when delivering high stakes OSCEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also describe successful mitigation strategies implemented to combat these risks, and how we also embraced and leveraged technology in a very creative way despite the restrictions and constrained environment. We describe and share practical guidance that may be of help or interest to healthcare education providers across all disciplines on how to effectively deliver clinical and procedural skills examinations that are authentic, valid and comply with the strict national COVID-19 restrictions implemented during this time.

Keywords

• OSCE
• Clinical Examination
• Pandemic
• COVID-19
• Simulation
• Clinical Skills Assessment