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Perspectives of psychiatric trainees and examiners on the assessment of communication skills during an online clinical examination: a qualitative study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2023

Memoona Usman Open the ORCID record for Memoona Usman [Opens in a new window] ,
Dimitrios Adamis Open the ORCID record for Dimitrios Adamis [Opens in a new window]  and
Geraldine McCarthy
Memoona Usman*
Affiliation:
General Adult Psychiatry, St. Loman’s Hospital, Mullingar, Ireland
Dimitrios Adamis
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Services, St. Columba’s Hospital, Sligo, Ireland
Geraldine McCarthy
Affiliation:
Psychiatry of Old Age, Sligo Leitrim Mental Health Service, Sligo, Ireland School of Medicine, NUIG, Sligo, Ireland Medical Education, Sligo Medical Academy, NUIG, Sligo, Ireland Postgraduate Psychiatry Training, NUIG RCSI Deanery, Dublin, Ireland
*
Corresponding author: M. Usman, Email: drmemoonaanjum11@gmail.com
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Abstract

Background:

Effective doctor–patient communication is a core competency for healthcare professionals. With the pivot to online clinical education and assessment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a need to explore the views of psychiatric trainees and examiners on assessment of communication skills during online high stakes postgraduate examinations.

Methods:

The study was designed as descriptive qualitative research. All candidates and examiners of the September and November 2020 sitting of online Basic Specialist Training exam (a clinical Objective Structured Clinical Examination exam completed in the first 4 years of psychiatry training) were invited to participate. The respondents were interviewed by Zoom which was transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed by NVivo20 pro and various themes and subthemes were drawn using Braun and Clarke thematic analysis.

Results:

A total of seven candidates and seven examiners were interviewed with an average duration of 30 minutes and 25 minutes, respectively. Four main themes emerged: Communication, Screen optimization, Continuation postpandemic and Overall experience. All candidates preferred to continue an online format post pandemic for practical reasons e.g., avoiding travel and overnight stay, while all examiners preferred to go back to in-person Objective Structured Clinical Examination. However, continuation of online Clinical Formulation and Management Examination was agreed by both groups.

Conclusion:

The participants were largely satisfied with the online examination but did not consider it equal to face-to-face for picking up nonverbal cues. Overall minimal technical issues were reported. These findings may be helpful to modify current psychiatry membership examinations or similar assessments in other countries and specialties.

Keywords

CandidatesexaminersOSCEObjective Structured Clinical Examinationonlineopinionperspectivespsychiatryremotetraineesvirtual
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , First View , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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