The concordance rate between the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) evaluators and the SP evaluation evaluators, in the analyses conducted during the past two years was investigated and compared by the acupuncture department at the College for Japanese Judo-Therapy Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy.
The subjects were third year students who sat for the OSCE during FY 2004-FY 2005, and consisted of thirteen and thirty-two students, respectively. Four stations were set up which were comprised of medical interviews, physical examinations, and practical skill evaluations on acupuncture, and moxibustion.
The concordance rate at each station was compared, and the improvements in these rates could be seen particularly for physical examinations and practical skills on acupuncture stations. The relationship between the evaluator and the SP was that a correlation between the medical interview evaluator and the SP evaluation was recognized
Improvements were due to segmentation and clarification of the assessment items, more meetings being held, and simulated trials conducted prior to the actual examination. These factors lead to a comprehensive interpretation of the manual.
However, a correlation between the evaluator of the practical skills for acupuncture and the SP evaluation was not recognized. Therefore, it is vital to include the assessment of SP evaluation, and ensure it is performed uniformly.