This document discusses the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) as a tool for assessing clinical competence. It defines the OSCE as a multidimensional practical exam of clinical skills. The purposes of the OSCE are to identify objective performance criteria for clinical skills, structure these criteria in checklists, and meet accreditation requirements. Examples of skills assessed include history taking, physical exams, clinical problem solving, and procedures. The document also outlines how to organize an OSCE and provides examples of exam stations. Both advantages like reliability and ability to test a wide range of skills as well as disadvantages like time demands are discussed.