Perception of postgraduate dental resident doctors towards the objective structured clinical examination

Introduction: The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is regarded as the gold standard for evaluating students' skills and competencies. Aim: This study aimed to assess the perceptions of postgraduate dental residents toward OSCE. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among fifty postgraduate dental residents' doctors (senior and junior residents) during one of their update courses in February 2015 with a self-administered questionnaire to probe their perceptions about OSCE. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 statistical software. Results: A total of fifty questionnaires were administered to consenting residents, and all questionnaires were filled and returned giving a 100% response rate. There was a male preponderance with a male: female ratio of 1.5:1. The respondents' ages varied with 58% belonging to the 31–35 years' age group. More than half (56%) of the respondents agreed that they understood the aim and objectives of OSCE. With regard to OSCE being a valid assessment tool for clinical competence, 46% agreed and 6% strongly agreed that it was a valid tool. More than half (52%) of the respondents had favorable perceptions about OSCE. There was a statistically significant relationship between the status of respondents and their perception with regard to preparation for OSCE and impact on knowledge. The most objective and reliable form of examination was reported to be multiple choice questions by 56% and 58% of the respondents, respectively. Conclusion: Perceptions of postgraduate dental residents about the OSCE were favorable. However, there is a need to adjust the postgraduate curriculum to accommodate specific training modules for OSCE.