RESEARCH ARTICLE: Pharmacy students’ views on the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE): findings from two Malaysian universities

Authors

  • Mohamed Hassan Elnaem International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Muhammad Zuljalil Ilham Wahab International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Aqilah Mohd Ali International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Umi Syuhada Abd Rahim International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Nuraqilah Zulkifli International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Nur Syaza Mohd Akbar Basha International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Maidatul Suffiah Hayati Mohamad Yusof International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Nur Farhana Mohd Majdy International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Zainol Akbar Zainal University of Cyberjaya University, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2021.211.3944

Keywords:

OSCE, Malaysia, Pharmacy student, Clinical skills, Views

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate and compare the views of undergraduate pharmacy students in two Malaysian pharmacy schools (one private and one public) regarding the organisation, quality, and objectivity of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken among penultimate and final year students in two Malaysian pharmacy schools between October to December 2019 (International Islamic University Malaysia [IIUM] and University of Cyberjaya [UoC]). A questionnaire was developed, tested, validated and then distributed to study participants through online Google forms.

Results: A total of 221 undergraduate pharmacy students participated in the study. Students from the public university disagreed with the allocated time for the OSCE stations (IIUM 63.9% and 48.7% vs UoC 11.6% and 14.3%). Relatively few students agreed that OSCE is a less stressful type of assessment compared to other traditional methods (IIUM 7.2% and 10.3% vs UoC 39.5% and 23.8%). Both groups of students’ also disagreed that OSCE marks were likely to be affected by the student’s gender (IIUM 73.2% and 66.7% vs UoC 67.4% and 78.6%).

Conclusion: The majority of participants had positive views on the organisation, quality, and objectivity of OSCE, with several differences between students in public and private universities. There are few areas to be further considered to ensure more positive OSCE experience for students such as revision on the time allocation for every station and on the provision of timely constructive feedback.

Author Biographies

Mohamed Hassan Elnaem, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy  & Quality use of medicines research group, Faculty of Pharmacy

Muhammad Zuljalil Ilham Wahab, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Aqilah Mohd Ali, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Umi Syuhada Abd Rahim, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Nuraqilah Zulkifli, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Nur Syaza Mohd Akbar Basha, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Maidatul Suffiah Hayati Mohamad Yusof, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Nur Farhana Mohd Majdy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Zainol Akbar Zainal, University of Cyberjaya University, Malaysia

Faculty of Pharmacy

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Published

14-05-2021

How to Cite

Elnaem, M. H., Wahab, M. Z. I. ., Mohd Ali, A. . ., Abd Rahim, U. S. ., Zulkifli, N., Mohd Akbar Basha, N. S. ., Mohamad Yusof, M. S. H. ., Mohd Majdy, N. F. ., & Zainal, Z. A. (2021). RESEARCH ARTICLE: Pharmacy students’ views on the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE): findings from two Malaysian universities. Pharmacy Education, 21, p. 39–44. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2021.211.3944

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Research Article