Feasibility of clinical examination scenarios under pandemic conditions

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, contact restrictions occurred worldwide, which affected medical schools as well. It was not possible to hold classroom lectures. Teaching contents had to be converted to a digital curriculum within a very short time. Conditions for assessments posed an even greater challenge. For example, solutions had to be found for objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), which were explicitly forbidden in some German states. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an OSCE under pandemic conditions. Materials and methods: At the end of the 2020 summer semester, 170 students completed a combined otolaryngology and ophthalmology OSCE. Examinations were held in small groups over the course of 5 days and complied with strict hygiene regulations. The ophthalmology exam was conducted face to face, and the ENT OSCE virtually. Students were asked to rate the OSCE afterwards. Results: Between 106 and 118 of the students answered the questions. Comparing the face-to-face OSCE with the virtual OSCE, about 49% preferred the face-to-face OSCE and 17% preferred the virtual OSCE; 34% found both variants equally good. Overall, the combination of an ENT and ophthalmology OSCE was rated as positive. Conclusion: It is possible to hold an OSCE even under pandemic conditions. For optimal preparation of the students, among other things, it is necessary to transform teaching contents to a digital curriculum. The combination of an ENT and ophthalmology OSCE was positively evaluated by the students, although the face-to-face OSCE was preferred. The overall high satisfaction of the students confirms the feasibility of a virtual examination with detailed and well-planned preparation.