FHO.2 |
E-OSCE (phase 1) |
Long Title: | Electronic Registration of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (phase 1) |
Leading Organization: |
Fachhochschule Ostschweiz |
Participating Organizations: |
Universität Bern
|
Other Partners: |
ETH Zürich
Crealogix (unfunded partner) |
Domain: | ELS |
Status: | finished |
Start Date: | 01.08.2009 |
End Date: | 31.07.2010 |
Project Leader: | M. Stolze |
Website: | http://www.e-osce.ch |
(see also phase 2 and phase 3 )
The deliverables (papers, manuals, documentation, reports, and software) are available upon
request through the E-OSCE project website.
The project built on experience gained while developing a first prototype system called MoMEA. It
investigated whether a highly mobile device (Apple iPhone) could be used to enter OSCE assessment data.
The project yielded two main findings:
Based on those results, it was decided that an implementation of the E-OSCE system should target tablet-sized computers. The software was tested on tablet PC's running Windows 7. Most tablets were
Incremental releases of the E-OSCE system were developed and tested, using one or a combination of
heuristic evaluations, simulated examinations and usability tests.
The system's release candiates, TabMed version 3.0 for Tablet PC and MoMEA for iPhone (RC, beta 2) as well as
the modified iPad client (MoMEA), were put to the test by letting real examiners grade real students
in the context of a real OSCE examination.
All participants managed to complete their tasks without any serious problems. In fact, the examiners would
prefer the E-OSCE System over the current paper based process.
Given the still quickly changing hardware landscape, it was decided that an in depth investigation and platform comparison will be necessary to determine which platform is best suited for broad E-OSCE deployment at faculties across Switzerland. These issues will be addressed within the follow up project "E-OSCE Deployment & Dissemination" (phase 2).
Due to the reform of the curriculum (bachelor/master) and the introduction of a new federal exam starting in August 2011,
OSCE assessments will dramatically gain in importance and frequency throughout the medical
faculties in Switzerland (about 15'000/a).
OSCE stands for Objective Structured Clinical Examination. In this examination
form, a medical student has to show his or her clinical skills (e.g. interviewing, clinical
examination, etc.). The patients are specially trained actors that are instructed to verbally communicate
the status and the symptoms of a certain illness. The performance of the students is
evaluated by an expert.
Currently the process involves various media, is error prone and inefficient:
Evaluation sheets are
prepared electronically, printed, manually filled out by the examiners on paper, and finally scanned to retrieve the evaluations from the sheet and store them electronically.
We intend to improve this process, digitise the workflow and allow further exams with mobile devices.
The goal of the proposed project is to develop a first productive release of a system supporting electronic registration of OSCE results. This is an efficient alternative to the current paper-based process. Here examiners use a electronic mobile device (such as an iPhone) which they can use for registering examination results on site. The result will be an optimized process that dramatically reduces the time until OSCE evaluations are available to Students.
We will also organize two workshops. The first workshop in November 2009 will be to discuss and
validate our technical architecture with other projects that work on related topics (e.g. SIOUX).
The second workshop in February 2010 will be held to present the status of the system to
other Swiss medical schools (awareness, collect requirements, gain partners for a phase 2 project).