Exam (OSCE)
The Exam module brings the complete OSCE workflow into SIMStation: from digital check-in and automated station rotations to timed phases, examiner assessments, recordings, and a dedicated results archive. This area explains each building block and how they work together.
What is an OSCE?
An objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a practical examination format used to assess clinical competence, especially in medicine and other health care disciplines. Candidates rotate through a circuit of short, timed stations (usually 5–10 minutes each) and complete predefined clinical tasks such as history taking, physical examination, communication, clinical reasoning, or practical procedures. Each station is examined one-to-one by one or two examiners, often with real or simulated patients.
OSCEs are commonly used as:
- performance-based assessment of minimum standards during undergraduate medical education
- continuous assessment throughout a curriculum
- high-stakes postgraduate assessment
- evaluation for professional licensing and certification
- an educational tool that provides immediate feedback
Because every candidate completes the same stations with standardized instructions, checklists, and rating scales, the format reduces variability related to individual examiners and cases. Many centers assign a pass mark per station, require a minimum number of passed stations, or use "red flags" that require a candidate to repeat a station.
Why run your OSCE in SIMStation?
| Aspect | Paper-based OSCE | SIMStation OSCE |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling | Manual spreadsheets | Automated rotation engine |
| Timing | Stopwatches and verbal cues | Automated phases and announcements |
| Assessment forms | Paper checklists | Digital forms pushed to examiner devices |
| Data entry | Manual transcription | Real-time digital capture |
| Evidence for appeals | None or hard to locate | Timestamped video linked to assessments |
| Examiner presence | Must be in the room | In the room or remote |
| Results processing | Manual counting | Instant export and archive |
| Student guidance | Paper maps and signs | Digital Floor Screens and Door Screens |
Automation and time savings. Scheduling assigns students to stations automatically, phases start and stop on time with pre-recorded announcements, digital check-in replaces attendance lists, and Exam Flows are reusable templates you configure once.
Assessment quality. Digital assessment forms with scoring, competencies, and knock-out criteria ensure every examiner applies the same rubric. Assessments are timestamped and linked to the recording, so grading is traceable and auditable.
Evidence and compliance. Every station can be recorded. When a student appeals, you can retrieve the rubric and the video and jump to the exact moment. The Exam Archive keeps results for long-term storage and export.
Logistics and flexibility. Examiners can join remotely, the MC App controls the entire exam from one tablet, and Floor Screens and Door Screens guide students to their next station without paper maps.
Research evidence
Studies show that video-supported OSCEs improve the fairness and traceability of ratings, make more efficient use of examiners' time, and deepen student reflection when candidates review their own performance. See the references at the end of this page.
Pages in this area
| Page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Exam (OSCE) | The main introduction to the Exam module: phases, participants, hardware, and the overall workflow. |
| Exam Flow | Design reusable phase sequences with durations, announcements, recording settings, and device options. |
| Session Creation | Plan an exam session in the Event Planner, including stations, participants, and rooms. |
| Scheduling | Plan which student attends which station and in what order. |
| Confirmation | Digital check-in for participants before the exam runs begin. |
| MC App | The Master-of-Ceremony application for controlling the exam flow and assisting participants. |
| Participant Devices | The devices students, examiners, and standardized patients use during an exam. |
| Student Notes | A Student Inside device that lets students take notes during the exam. |
| Remote Examination | Lets examiners take part in an exam from anywhere via live video and audio. |
| Floor Screen | Shows the exam status and station assignments on screens in corridors or break rooms. |
| Door Screen | Displays the observation and recording state of a room at its entrance. |
| Exam Archive | The central place to review and export exam results after a session. |
| Insights | Additional insights and background about the Exam module. |
A typical OSCE workflow
- Design or reuse an Exam Flow.
- Create the exam session in the Event Planner (Session Creation) and let SIMStation generate the schedule.
- Register and place the Participant Devices, Floor Screens, and Door Screens.
- Start the event and check in participants with Confirmation.
- Run the exam from the MC App; examiners assess on site or through Remote Examination.
- Review and export the results in the Exam Archive.
References
- Fu, Y., Zhang, W., Zhang, S., Hua, D., Xu, D., & Huang, H. (2023). Applying a video recording, video-based rating method in OSCEs.
- Brannick, M. T., Erol-Korkmaz, H. T., & Prewett, M. (2011). A systematic review of the reliability of objective structured clinical examination scores.
- Vivekananda-Schmidt, P., et al. (2007). Exploring the use of videotaped objective structured clinical examination in the assessment of joint examination skills of medical students.
- Mitchell, O., et al. (2021). Video-assisted reflection: improving OSCE feedback.
- Mercier, M., et al. (2026). AI-Driven Objective Structured Clinical Examination Generation in Digital Health Education.