15 tips on Oral exam or OSCE in medical school

Hi medical students.

  The reason I thought about this topic is; 1st it's a compliment to the MCQ Blog I wrote last week and 2nd my own Final Surgical residency Oral exam is in 4 weeks.

So here we go

Preparation

1) You will need to read now from an examination book "e.g. Talley" and maybe have to go back to a text book for specific tables and lists. Remember, the written part is over and this is mainly a test of your thinking ability and confidence and not pure knowledge.

2) I prefer to study in a group for this part because:

     A) We tend generally not to study as much for the oral as for the written. I will find anything else to do other than study if I was given a chance "Twitter, Angry Bird, writing this blog....etc". If you're in a group you can't do that. You will be pushed to study.

    

     B) You should practice examination and case scenarios on each other, "Examine the hand in RA, steps to approach a pregnant lady, Pulmonary exam... etc". You don't want to be doing it the first time in front of an old school consultant that is holding on to physical exam like there is no tomorrow.

     C) You will revise lists of differential diagnosis', tests, risks...etc better in a group and you will always miss something but be reminded or taught a way to remember it.

   Of  course if you've always been a loner then try this out and if it doesn't work then go back to your old ways.

3) Make sure you are well rested. As they say, self-induced anxiety is your biggest enemy. Last minute preparation is unnecessary and is usually counter-productive. If you are good student close to your oral exam, you have reached your capacity of knowledge and last minute reading will only undermine your confidence and place you under unnecessary stress. Remember, you are depending on that thread of confidence to show the examiner you know what you're doing.

4) Do NOT use sedatives to sleep the night before and DO put on two alarms. Make sure someone is there to call or wake you up just in case. Not showing up for the exam is exactly like failing it but without the stress. The morning of your oral exam should be exactly like your daily routine, i.e. if you usually eat breakfast, then do it. If not, don’t. Keep your caffeine level where it  normally is.

5) Dress well with a tie and shirt for the guys. As for the girls, conservative is the way to go.

  

   DO NOT wear expensive watches or jewellery, put heavy cologne, extensive make up, high heels, sandals, facial piercing or strange hair do.

   DO make sure you have all your necessary instruments "stethoscope, hammer etc". A watch with seconds might be useful. For the elderly staff incase they want you to take the pulse manually.

   AND I can't tell you how EXTREMELY important it is to have on a clean white lab coat. We had a guy in our year with a jaundiced lab coat with a huge ink stain on the front pocket. Obviously he didn't do well.

   I advise you to leave your purse or carrier bag at home. It is only one more item to worry about.

During the exam:

6) Try to CALM DOWN in whatever way you like, "prayer, meditate, stretch.. etc". Stand up straight, make eye contact, and face the examiner asking you.

7) Do Not be cocky, we hate it in actual life. They hate it more in the exams. This is an invitation for a very difficult question to put you back in your place. DO NOT Argue with your examiner. If you do YOU WILL FAIL. If you see that your starting to argue, pause a second then say "Sorry I might be mistaken" then back off. Most likely you are, and if you're not, now is not the time to teach your examiner how to do his job.

8) Don’t waste more time on history and physical examination if they tell you “that is all you need” or "Carry on". The examiner may not let you finish your answer and that's OK, it usually means you're doing fine "Or you lost allot of time and they are trying to help you get marks". If you realize you’re going down the wrong way stop. Apologize and ask permission to go back a step or even start over.

9) Keep your answers short and focused. Do Not volunteer information, "digging your own grave". You put yourself into trouble. Listen clearly to what they say or ask. Make sure you understand the question. Feel free to ask if this "is what you mean?" One of the most common ways to get in trouble during an oral exam is the failure to listen carefully.

10) Don’t answer right away. Organize yourself and be structured. Outline the list of diagnosis starting with the most likely diagnosis and the most dangerous then the rest. Most important test first as well. Try to divide your answer into categories (infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic) "it's easier to recall and shows that you understand what you're talking about".

11) Keep your ears open for hints or prompting by the examiner. "Is there something else you want to add to those test?" usually there is something missing especially if he asks you twice. They are not there to trick you. So if you're really stuck and can't remember, go on and say I can't recall or I don't know.

" “I don’t know” is not a statement that a student wants to use allot during the exam. However, knowing when and how to say “I don’t know” can save you pass or prevent a fail. The use of “I don’t know” is an excellent alternative to a guess. A tentative guess will sound like a bluff and prompt the examiner to explore an area with gaps. If the candidate selects “I don’t know”, this will prompt the examiner to create a follow-up question Often, this will present a question that will give the candidate enough of a clue to allow a successful answer "

from how to pass the American board booklet.

12) NEVER EVER make up answers or invent something you haven’t seen or heard of. Do Not quote books or other doctors to explain your reason for an answer, it just makes you look like an idiot. "The book says so or Dr Sara told us"

13) Do Not lie. "Oh yes I examined the chest" when you didn't. Bluffing on an examination can be very deadly. If you get caught, you will lose your examiners confidence in you and your mark.

14) Avoid "Maybe, I think, probably, could be" be decisive and confident in your answer.

15) When the question is finished, let it go. If not, you won’t listen to the next one properly.

Good Luck to you all

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Moe Nassif