Assessments
Overview

The objective standardized clinical examination, or OSCE, is a performance examination that evaluates clinical proficiency. In an OSCE, examinees complete a series of clinical encounter stations where they interact with a standardized client. OSCEs are a highly valid assessment tool in measuring clinical ability.

OSCEs generally have up to 12 stations (See details on your exam). At the start of each OSCE station, examinees receive a brief written statement that introduces the presenting clinical problem and states the task the examinee needs to perform. Examinees must manage each presenting case as they would in a real life practice setting.

A multiple choice question (MCQ) examination is a selective response exam. In an MCQ exam, examinees demonstrate their knowledge by selecting the best answer of a series of options provided. In some cases the questions stand alone while in others they reference a scenario where the options represent clinical decisions.

Touchstone Institute uses tablet technology for MCQ exams and for scoring in OSCE stations. This technology has proven intuitive for exam participants, and allows us to reduce the amount of time needed to prepare an exam, process results, and has the benefit of reducing our ecological footprint.

Communicative competency refers to the ability to use language proficiently and effectively for a specific purpose and in a specific context. At Touchstone Institute we deliver language proficiency exams that are based on a communicative competency framework, and are specific to health care communication.

Communicative competency exams include assessments of listening, reading, writing and speaking. Speaking exams are role play based, Writing exams are scenario base. The Listening and Reading assessments are MCQ exams.