Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) need practice along with knowledge. In this post, we have given the ten most common mistakes, that students commit during OSCEs, which if avoided will enhance their performance and score in exams.
The list may include more but these are the most common mistakes. Once you know them, you can avoid them. So, let’s start knowing these mistakes one by one.
1. Talking only when you are asked
It is alright to give a detailed answer if you are confident that you are talking right. It makes the examiner go smoothly on to the next question rather than extracting pertinent details in bits and pieces.
2. When you volunteer to Talk, you say something that is clearly wrong
In contrast to the first point, it is equally important not to say more than what you have been asked if you don’t know the details.
3. Unable to pick up clues given by the examiners
When you are lost, examiners are happy to bring you back on track by giving clues. Try not to miss them.
4. Arguing with the examiners
Just one word for it – ‘AVOID’!
5. Causes pain/discomfort to patients.
In exams usually, those patients are not kept who are in pain. Besides conveying a negative impact, if you are causing pain, this indirectly means that you are not fluent in your methods. However, if you have caused pain inadvertently, don’t worry about it too much, apologize to the patient and carry on with the examination. Your further performance will cover it up.
6. Unable to give more than two causes for a finding
Practice during preparation to give at least 3 causes for all commonly encountered signs/symptoms.
7. Unable to formulate simple management plan
You forget to give sensible management plans that you otherwise practically do in your daily clinical practice. Therefore, stay simple and practical imagining that you are in your routine clinic.
8. You say rare diagnoses first
Examiners want to assess that you are a safe doctor who does not miss common things. Do not try to impress the examiners by mentioning the rare diagnoses first.
9. You do not greet your patient
Do not forget that you are not examining just a ‘case’, but a ‘human‘. Stay Humane!
10. You do not cover back patient after examining him/her
After finishing examining your patient, make it a habit to Thank and Cover them back.
CAN YOU AVOID THESE MISTAKES DURING CLINICAL EXAMS!