Performance and perception of first-year pharmacy students in virtual vs. in-person OSCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2026.261.456467Keywords:
Consultation, In-person OSCE, Nonprescription medication, Prescription, Self-care, Virtual OSCEAbstract
Background: This study compares virtual and in-person OSCEs by analysing two groups of first-year pharmacy students in hybrid and on-ground pathways. It assesses students’ ability to apply clinical knowledge and demonstrate patient counselling in Pharmacy Practice Foundations courses.
Methods: The study compared the performance of first-year pharmacy students participating in Virtual OSCEs (n = 26) and In-Person OSCEs (n = 33) using standardised rubrics for prescription and Over-the-counter (OTC) consultations. A post-assessment survey was collected from students, evaluators, and standardised patients to gather feedback on each format, guiding optimisation of Virtual OSCEs.
Results: Among In-Person OSCE participants, 89% achieved passing scores on their first attempt, while 91% of Virtual OSCE participants achieved passing scores. The survey (65% response rate) revealed that 94% of all those involved (including students, standardised patients, and faculty evaluators, n=79) were comfortable using video conferencing software. Students from both formats rated high confidence in clinical skills after the course (86% In-Person, 87% Virtual). No statistically significant difference in overall OSCE scores was detected between the virtual and in-person formats (Mann–Whitney U test, p = 0.179).
Conclusion: Both virtual and in-person OSCEs in the Hybrid-PharmD program were well received, with no significant difference in performance. All groups responded positively. However, the small sample size limited the ability to detect differences, and the study wasn't designed to prove equivalence.
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