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Comparing OSCE Performance and Learner Satisfaction in Depression Assessment

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Fourth-year medical students at Dow University of Health Sciences in Karachi, Pakistan, participated in a quasi-experimental study to compare their performance and satisfaction in assessing depression using simulated patients versus real patients. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of simulated patients on clinical skills and learner satisfaction. The results showed that students who practiced with simulated patients demonstrated comparable performance on the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) station and almost similar levels of learner satisfaction as those who practiced with real patients.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 80 fourth-year medical students who were divided into two groups: Control group and Intervention group.
  • The Control group practiced with real patients, while the Intervention group practiced with simulated patients.
  • Students' satisfaction with the learning experience was recorded using the Escala de Satisfacao com as Experiencias Clinicas Simuladas (ESECS) scale.
  • Clinical skills were assessed during the OSCE at the end of the clinical posting using a rating scale.
  • The study found no statistically significant differences in performance between the two groups (p = 0.43) and almost similar levels of learner satisfaction (p = 0.06).
  • The study concluded that simulated patients contributed equally to the acquisition of clinical skills for assessing depression by medical students.
  • The study suggests that the selection of teaching resources depends on patient availability and specific clinical needs of the students.

Statistics:

  • 80 medical students participated in the study.
  • The study lasted from June to November 2023.
  • The OSCE performance of the two groups did not differ significantly (p = 0.43).
  • The satisfaction levels of the two groups were almost similar (p = 0.06).
  • The study found that simulated patients contributed equally to the acquisition of clinical skills (90% simulated patients, 85% real patients).
  • The ESECS scale was used to assess students' satisfaction with the learning experience.

Sources:

  • Assessing Depression in the Mental State Examination: OSCE Scores and Student Satisfaction with Simulated Versus Real Patients. Jcpsp-journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, 2025;35(10):1289-1293.
  • NewsRx. Studies from Dow University of Health Sciences Have Provided New Data on Psychology and Psychiatry (Assessing Depression in the Mental State Examination: OSCE Scores and Student Satisfaction with Simulated Versus Real Patients). Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. October 25, 2025; p 7094.

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