Competency-Based
Curriculum Rolls
Out This Semester

OSCEs (objective structured clinical examinations) are part of the School's new competency-based curriculum that formally began this academic year (1999-2000) for entering medical students. Students about to begin their third year at IUSM tested the OSCEs this past June. Working through a series of twenty-minute stations, they interviewed or examined "patients" who were trained to portray specific health problems and to give the students immediate feedback and evaluations.

"Students ending their third year took the exam last August; faculty will compare their two performances to determine the value of the OSCE and how well it was executed," says Stephen Leapman, MD, associate professor of surgery and director of the program.