Standardized Patient Experience
The student will participate in two standardized patient experiences based on the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). These experiences will use standardized patients and evaluations to provide an unbiased and tangible assessment of the student's clinical skills and knowledge. In particular it will bear judgment of the following clinical competencies:
- History taking
- Physical and mental status examination
- Record keeping
- Fund of knowledge
- Problem solving and clinical application
- Relationships with patients including discussing the students initial assessment and plan
The first experience will be early in the clerkship and be used to provide self-assessment and reflection. The second experience will be later in the clerkship and count as the standardized patient grade. This will contribute 20% to the final grade.
These experiences will include a standardized patient with a chief complaint of either chest pain or shortness of breath in an Emergency Department setting. The student will be assuming the role of an Internal Medicine student-doctor that has been asked to evaluate the patient for possible admission.
The student will be provided, prior to entering the room, basic triage information including the chief complaint and vitals as well as basic labs and studies that have already been performed. The student will perform a complete yet problem focused history and physical examination. The student will communicate their basic assessment and plan as appropriate prior to leaving the room.
The student will interact with the patient in a manner deemed appropriate for their role as an admitting student-doctor.
Evaluation
The first Clinical skills exam will be for the purpose of self-directed learning as the student will review and evaluate their recorded performance and provide written lists of what they did well and what they need to improve.
The second Clinical skills exam will be for the purpose of grading and will be graded by the clerkship director using the same evaluation form as mentioned above.