Assessing the ability of medical students to apply evidence in practice: the potential of the OSCE

OBJECTIVES: Critical analysis and application of evidence-based practice are key skills for students to master. Assessment of these skills can be undertaken by written examination. Regardless of how knowledge of the appraisal process may be assessed, written examinations ignore assimilation of that evidence into everyday practice. DESIGN: A combined clinical and communication skills station was used in an objective structured clinical examination where the ability to appraise evidence critically was assessed along with the application of that evidence in managing a common clinical problem. SETTING: University of Liverpool. SUBJECTS: Undergraduate medical students. RESULTS: The results from 156 undergraduate medical students demonstrated that it is possible to assess the application of evidence in practice, both in terms of outcome and patient assessment of the encounter. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment is a powerful tool in promoting learning and adoption of such assessment strategies may help to address concerns surrounding apparent poor effect of critical appraisal training.