Enhancing students’ clinical competency via objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) / Nik Aisyah Najwa Nik Mustaffa Shapri

On 11th and 17th January 2024, the Department of Clinical Pharmacy (DoCP) conducted OSCE involving 173 fourth-year students as part of their continuous assessment for the courses PHC670 Community Pharmacy and PHC671 Applied Therapeutics in Infectious Diseases and Neoplastic Disorders. The four-station OSCE entails history-taking, drug-related problem identification and resolution, patient education, and care plan monitoring that spanned around 30 minutes. OSCE aims to evaluate students' clinical competency in providing optimal pharmaceutical care that requires them to employ analytical and critical thinking skills, effective communication skills, evidence-based practice, and professionalism. This performance-based examination complements the paper-and-pen examination ensuring a holistic and competent pharmacist graduate at the end of the Bachelor of Pharmacy program. This hands-on assessment method is crucial in preparing the students for their future careers and ensuring they are competent and confident in providing patient-centered care.