Enhancing competency based practical assessment in diploma medical laboratory technology: a prospective comparative study of objective structured practical examination and conventional assessment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20263524Keywords:
OSPE, Competency-based education, Practical assessment, DMLT, Medical education, Laboratory skillsAbstract
Background: Competency-based education emphasizes acquisition of practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge. Conventional practical examinations in diploma in medical laboratory technology (DMLT) programs may be affected by subjectivity, examiner variability and limited assessment of procedural competencies. Objective structured practical examination (OSPE) offers a standardized approach to practical assessment. This study compared OSPE with conventional practical assessment among DMLT students.
Methods: This prospective educational interventional pilot study was conducted among 50 second-year DMLT students in the department of pathology of a tertiary care teaching institution from May 2025 to October 2025. Following routine teaching on peripheral blood smear preparation, students underwent conventional practical assessment followed one week later by a five-station OSPE. Performance was compared using paired Student’s t-test, and student perceptions were assessed using a structured feedback questionnaire.
Results: The mean OSPE score was significantly higher than the conventional practical examination score (35.2=/- 4.8 vs 29.6 +/- 2.1; p<0.001). Forty- two (84%) students scored higher in the OSPE, five (10%) achieved comparable scores and three (6%) scored lower. Students reported favourable perceptions regarding fairness, objectivity, transparency, confidence and educational value.
Conclusion: OSPE provided an objective and structured method for assessing practical competencies among DMLT students and was associated with better performance and favourable learner perceptions. Its use may strengthen competency- based practical assessment in laboratory education.
References
Hallworth MJ. The 70% claim. What is the evidence base. Ann Clin Biochem. 2011;48(6):487-8.
Plebani M. Quality indicators to detect pre analytical errors in laboratory testing. Clin Biochme Rev. 2012;33(3):85-8.
Frank JR, Snell LS, Cate OT, Holmboe ES, Carraccio C, Swing SR, et al. Competency-Based medical education: Theory to practice. Med Teach. 2010:32(8):638-45.
Holmboe ES, Sherbino J, Englander R, Snell L, Frank JR. A call to action : The controversy of and rationale for competency-based medical education. Med Teach. 2017;39(6):574-81.
Gauthier S, Hatala R. The best of both worlds: Assessing trainee progression in competency-based medical education. Med Educ. 2024;58:640-3.
Alias AH, Ibrahim MS, Abu Bakar YI, Daud N, Anuar WMF, Ghani ASA, et al. Implementation of outcome(competency) based medical education: A scoping review of 30 years of evidence. Discover Education. 2026;5:119.
Suneja S, Kaur C. Objective structured practical examination (OSPE) for formative assessment of medical undergraduates in biochemistry. Natl Med J India. 2024;37(5):261-6.
Patel NR, Shah RJ, Prajapati A. Effectiveness of Objective Structured Practical Examination as an assessment method for Indian Medical Graduates: A pilot project carried out in Pathology at a medical college in Western India. Ann Pathol Lab Med. 2024;11:231.
Makwana HH, Patel M, Shah D. Objective Stuctured Practical Examination (OSPE) as a toll for the formative assessment of practical skills in physiology: A comparative cross-sectional ananlysis. Cureus. 2024;16:46104
Bhagat A, Prakash K, Chandel R, Malhotra AS, Magan D. Utility and feasibility of Objective Structured Practical Examination for formative assessment in physiology: A mixed-methods study from India. Adv Physiol Educ. 2025;4991):49-57.
Deori R, Bora K, Das M. Perception of first-year MBBS students on Objective Structured Practical Examination as an assessment too in biochemistry. Int J Res Med Sci. 2024;12(2):461-5.
Rout AJ, Dasgupta P, Saha TK, Biswas D. Is objective structured practical examination a better option than conventional practical examination in assessing students’ competence. Analytical research. Indian J Community Med. 2025;50(1):143-6.
Rapkiewicz AV, Hammer RD, Brissette MD. The Objective Structured Pathology Examination (OSPE): Development and implementation for pathology resident assessment. Am J Clin Pathol. 2021;155(3):324-32.
Harden RM, Gleeson FA. Assessment of clinical competence using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Med Educ. 1979;13(1):41-54.
Boursicot K, Roberts T. How to set up an objective structured clinical/practical examination. Clin Teach. 2005;2(1):16-20.
Artino AR, La Rochelle JS, Dezee KJ, Gehlbach H. Developing questionnaires for educational research: AMEE Guide No.87. Med Teach. 2014;36(6):463-74.
Cook DA, Beckman TJ. Current concepts in validity and reliability for psychometric instruments: Theory and application. Am J Med. 2006;119(2):1667-7.
Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gotzsche PC, Vandenbroucke JP. STROBE Initiative. The Strengthening in Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies. PLos Med. 2007;4(10):296.
Makwana HH, Patel M, Shah D. Objective stuctured practical examination (OSPE) as a toll for the formative assessment of practical skills in physiology: A comparative cross-sectional ananlysis. Cureus. 2024;16:46104.
Bhagat A, Prakash K, Chandel R, Malhotra AS, Magan D. Utility and feasibility of Objective Structured Practical Examination for formative assessment in physiology: A mixed-methods study from India. Adv Physiol Educ. 2025;4991):49-57.
Patel NR, Shah RJ, Prajapati A. Effectiveness of Objective Structured Practical Examination as an assessment method for Indian Medical Graduates: A pilot project carried out in Pathology at a medical college in Western India. Ann Pathol Lab Med. 2024;11:87.
Deori R, Bora K, Das M. Perception of first-year MBBS students on Objective Structured Practical Examination as an assessment too in biochemistry. Int J Res Med Sci. 2024;12(2):461-5.
Jain P. Development and evaluation of Objective Structured Practical Examination as a formative assessment tool for clinical microbiology residents. Indian J Med Mircibiol. 2026;62:101149.
Roy AD, Jyoti V, Khajuria A, Mukherjee M, Das D, Mondal H. Training interns with a structured pathology and microbiology module during elective posting of coumpulsory rotating medical internship. Indian J Microbiol Res. 2025;12(3):329-33.
Harden RM, Gleeson FA. Assessment of clinical competence using an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Med Educ. 1979;13(1):41-54.
Boursicot K, Roberts T. How to set up an objective structured clinical/practical examination. Clin Teach. 2005;2(1):16-20.
Newble D. Techniques for measuring clinical competence: Objective Structured Clinical and Practical Examinations. Med Educ. 2004;38:199-203.
Eptein RM. Assessment in medical education. N Engl L Med. 2007;356:387-96.
Rapkiewicz AV, Hammer RD, Brissette MD. The Objective Structured Pathology Examination (OSPE): Development and implementation for pathology resident assessment. Am J Clin Pathol. 2021;155(3):324-32.
Suneja S, Kaur C. Objective structured practical examination (OSPE) for formative assessment of medical undergraduates in biochemistry. Natl Med J India. 2024;37(5):261-6.
Bhagat A, Prakash K, Chandel R, Malhotra AS, Magan D. Utility and feasibility of Objective Structured Practical Examination for formative assessment in physiology: A mixed-methods study from India. Adv Physiol Educ. 2025;4991):49-57.
Jain P, Venkatesh V, Bhalla S, Bhattacharya S, Sindhu S, Dixit RK. Development and evaluation of Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) as a formative assessment tool for clinical microbiology residents. Indian J Med Mirobiol. 2026;62:101149.
Prasad HLK, Prasad HVK. Sajitha K, Bhat S, Shetty KJ. Comparison of Objective Structured Practical Examination versus conventional pathology practical examination methods among second year medical students : A cross-sectional study. Med Sci Educ. 2021;31:1747-53.
Frank JR, Snell LS, Cate OT, Holmbee ES, Carraccio C, Swing SR, et al. Competency based medical education: Theory to practice. Med Teach. 2010;32(8):638-45.
Holmbee ES, Sherbino J, Englander R et al. A call to action: The controvery of and rationale for competency-based medical education. Med Teach. 201;39 (6):574-81.
Gauthier S, Hatala R. The best of both worlds: Assessing trainee progression in competency-based medical education. Med Educ. 2024;58:640-3.
Eptein RM. Assessment in medical education. N Engl L Med. 2007;356:387-96.
Harden RM, Gleeson FA. Assessment of clinical competence using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Med Educ. 1979;13(1):41-54.
Newble D. Techniques for measuring linical competence: Objective Structured Clinical ad Practical Examinatins. Med Educ. 2004;38:199-203.
Boursicot K, Roberts T. How to set up an objective structured clinical/practical examination. Clin Teach. 2005;2(1):16-20.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Titir Saha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
