Anatomie et physiologie : recherches en cours
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Objective Structured Viva Examination Versus Traditional Viva Examination in Evaluation of Medical Students

Shaguphta T Shaikh

The Objective Structured Viva Examination (OSVE) is a new concept which is similar to Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in pre and para clinical subjects. These methods though known as unbiased method of examination has not been incorporated as an assessment tool in the curriculum of first year medical students. This study was conducted to compare the marks obtained in OSVE and the marks of traditional viva. It was found that OSVE was a very authentic tool for judging the different cognitions of the student but was not allowing the student freedom to speak as in traditional viva. This study has shown that OSVE cannot replace the existing pattern of practical examination but can supplement it. Any change must first be thoroughly evaluated before it can uproot a well-defined and time-tested assessment methodology. Objective: Assessment for practical skills in medical education needs improvement from subjective methods to objective ones. An Objective Structured Viva Examination (OSVE) has been considered as one such method. This study is an attempt to evaluate the feasibility of using OSVE as a tool for the formative assessment of undergraduate medical education in anatomy. Materials and Methods: 50 students of first year MBBS, at the end of the first term, were assessed by both the traditional practical examination and the Objective Structured Viva Examination (OSVE), which included a part, that is thorax. A ten-station OSVE was conducted along with the traditional viva examination (TVE). The scores obtained in both were compared and a feedback of students was taken for the two methods. Results: There was no significant difference in the mean scores between the two methods (P=0.31) using the unpaired t test. Regarding the students’ perceptions of OSVE compared to TVE, 78% responded that OSVE could partially or completely replace TVE as the feedback of the students. OSVE was judged as an objective and unbiased test as compared to TVE, by 82.6% of the students, but to test the other capabilities like communication skills, correlative representation and the holistic approach of the students traditional viva examination is a must. Conclusion: Use of OSVE is feasible and unbiased tool for assessment in the undergraduate curriculum.