Objective structured clinical examinations in palliative care: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction : Palliative care (PC) is an essential component of health care; however, its teaching remains limited and heterogeneous across medical training programs. Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) have been proposed as a tool for assessing competencies in PC, yet their implementation and effectiveness have not been widely studied.

Methods : A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. A systematic search was performed in databases including PubMed and Scopus, selecting studies that evaluated the design, implementation, or effectiveness of OSCEs in the context of palliative care medical education.

Results : Of 84 identified studies, 10 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in the United States and focused on undergraduate medical education. Communication was the most frequently assessed competency, particularly in end-of-life decision-making scenarios. Reliability was the most commonly reported quality criterion, whereas validity was assessed in a limited number of studies. Only three studies reported external funding.

Discussion: The available evidence on the use of OSCEs in palliative care education is limited and geographically concentrated. The lack of structured validity evidence and the heterogeneous use of theoretical frameworks restrict the generalizability of findings. Strengthening OSCE implementation through robust theoretical models is recommended to improve their applicability and comparability across educational settings.