The document provides an overview of common station types in the OSCE exam. It discusses that stations will be 10 minutes with no mini-stations. Common station themes include communication, history taking, examination, spotters, and disease investigation and management. Examiners will be friendly and try to pass students. Stations test basic clinical skills like history taking, examination, and common disease management. Students should introduce themselves, listen carefully, and ask questions of the patient actor.

1. Common OSCE stations
Paul Lord

2. Overview
• Common approach to all OSCE stations
– What to expect
– Advice for any station
• Common themes
– Intro to topics

3. What to expect
• Change in format from previous years
• 10 minute stations
– No mini-stations
– No OSLERS
• Examiners still expect you to cover the same
competences
• All stations on one day are the same in all exam
locations
• Most stations change from day to day – not all

4. What to expect
• Similar to previous years exams
– Stations may have introductory information and
time to prepare
– Some stations are brief and you will get to leave
early if completed
– Don’t worry if you haven’t finished – you can still
get full marks

5. An approach to all stations
• Smile
• Listen to what is being asked – you can always ask the
examiner to repeat/clarify
• Introduce yourself
• Obtain consent
• WASH YOUR HANDS
– Gloves may be available on some stations
• Take your time
– Look around the station – there may be clues
– stop and think whenever you need to

6. The examiners
• Friendly
– May prompt you
– Will point things out for you
• Uninterested (rude!)
– Will give no indication of how you are doing
– Look like they don’t want to be there
• They are all trying to find reasons to pass you –
not fail you

7. Patients
Too obstructive Too helpful
• Will not give you any • Will not shut up!
information
• Are worried about ‘giving • Can use up all of your time
away the answer’
• Don’t be afraid to interrupt
• Remember what your
objective is

8. COMMON THEMES

9. Types of station
• Communication
• History taking
• Examination
• Spotters
• Disease investigation and management

10. Communication
• In every station!
• Handling complaints
• Breaking news
• Obtaining information / consent
• Ethical discussions
• Remember that it is still a quantitative exam

11. Communication
• Previous stations
– Anxious parent +/- Non-accidental injury
– Complaint about a GP in your practice –
confidentiality
– Explain a procedure – consent
– Counselling e.g. HIV testing

12. History taking
• Formally – OSLERS
– Can you take a comprehensive history
– Common chronic/stable diseases
• Shorter stations
– Can you obtain pertinent information in limited
time
– Emergency situations – e.g. chest pain

13. Examination
• Full and comprehensive
– Neuro exam
– Visual fields
– Cranial nerves
• Quick and specific
– “listen to this heart sound”
– “examine this patients lower limb joints”
– Followed by discussion about your findings

14. Spotters
• Used to be 5 minute stations
• May now include more discussion about the
disease
• Always stable/chronic problems
• Don’t be afraid to talk to the patients
– Ask how long they have had it and what
treatment they have had

15. Spotters
• Previous examples
– Rheumatoid hand
– AV Fistula
– Dermatology – either eczema or psoriasis
– Diabetic foot
– Leg ulcer
– Total knee/hip replacement (X-ray or patient)
– (neurofibromatosis)
• Don’t forget death certificates – this came up
every day last year!

16. Diseases and investigation
• Common diseases
– Ischaemic heart disease
– Diabetes
– Stroke
– Inflammatory Bowel Disease
– Rheumatoid Arthritis
– Chronic renal failure

17. Management
• Basic Life Support
• Acute coronary syndrome
• Make sure you can quickly list investigations
and management of common diseases

18. Overall
• WASH YOUR HANDS
• Take your time
• Ask for help from the patient
• Stations are usually basic – you can get lots of
marks for the correct approach