Pharmacy OSCEs and Competency-Based Assessments

Patient safety is now a very strong focus of pharmacy degrees. Competency-based evaluations of pharmacy students using simulated assessments including Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and Criterion Referenced Assessments (CRAs) are increasingly commonplace. These are designed to simulate aspects of real-life pharmacy practice in order to train students to integrate their knowledge of medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, therapeutics, legislation, clinical skills, numeracy, communication and empathy, and to test a student’s ability to provide safe and effective patient care.

This book provides a unique resource to support students and trainers in developing and practising these essential skills. It is designed as a useful resource for undergraduate students, clinical tutors and those involved in teaching students on pharmacy degree courses.

Format

OSCE outline

Format (written/interactive)

Level of difficulty

Time limit

Props supplied (e.g. BNF)

Competencies tested

Station task

Model Answers and sample marking schemes

Tips Short chapter introductions about how to tackle the type of problems encountered in the chapter.

Station examples to test your ability to integrate knowledge and skills.

Stations written in detail so that you can practise and then check or score performance against model answers.

Examples of competency-based assessments designed to assess the level of integration between science and practice.