Background: For over 40 years, the objective
structured clinical examination (OSCE) has been a part of medical education,
eventually finding its way into most aspects of clinical training and
evaluation. However, the EEG/epilepsy fellowship training has not
classically involved OSCE evaluations. Methods: We
designed and implemented a formative OSCE for pediatric and adult
EEG/epilepsy fellows in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The examination was
offered in French and English. Stations included: technical issues, short
cases, a long case, and communication. We solicited post-examination
feedback from all participants via anonymous electronic survey after they
had completed the Canadian Society for Clinical Neurophysiology (CSCN) EEG
examination. We asked questions surrounding utility of the examination,
areas for improvement, and whether the participant had been successful in
passing the CSCN examination. Results: Six fellows
took the initial formative OSCE. All six reported passing the subsequent
CSCN examination. All participants reported the OSCE as useful in
examination preparation. The communication station was consistently ranked
as the least useful station, an unsurprising finding given that the CSCN
examination does not involve a communication component.
Conclusions: OSCE is an effective tool in
assessment of the level of competence of EEG/epilepsy fellows, and as
preparation for the CSCN EEG examination.