The Bottom Line
- OSCEs are a skills exam: treat training like procedure training (reps + feedback), not ‘revision’.
- Deliberate practice = clear target + repetition + immediate feedback + correction.
- Video review + checklist review improves follow-through and can be associated with performance gains when done consistently.
Many OSCE candidates do ‘practice’ that feels social but doesn’t compound: casual roleplay, vague feedback, and no measurement. Deliberate practice is the opposite: narrow targets, rapid reps, tight feedback, and a log that proves improvement. You do not need more stations — you need a better loop.
The deliberate practice principle
Expert performance improves when practice is structured around specific goals, repeated attempts, immediate feedback, and focused correction — not just time spent.
1
Step 1 — Build a station library (20–30 stations only)
Create a list of common station archetypes (chest pain, abdominal pain, headache red flags, breathlessness, safeguarding, breaking bad news, medication counselling, results explanation). You are building pattern mastery, not novelty.
2
Step 2 — Convert each station into a 3-layer checklist
Layer A: safety-critical steps (must not miss). Layer B: discriminators (what gets marks). Layer C: polish (rapport, signposting, timing). This makes feedback actionable.
3
Step 3 — Run 20-minute deliberate practice loops
Loop format: 6 minutes attempt → 4 minutes feedback → 6 minutes re-attempt → 4 minutes micro-drills on the weak component (e.g., ICE, safety-netting, risk explanation). Repeat. This creates measurable improvement in one session.
4
Step 4 — Use video review like an athlete
Review at 1.25× speed with your checklist. Identify 1–2 repeated failure points (interrupting, lack of signposting, missed red flag, no shared decision). Fix only those in the next session. Video without a checklist becomes entertainment.
5
Step 5 — Keep a rep log (this is your unfair advantage)
Track: station type, score estimate, top 2 errors, corrected rule. After 3–4 sessions you’ll see your ‘error clusters’. That’s where marks are hiding.
OSCE rep log fields (copy/paste)
1
2
3
4
5
6
The failure mode
Doing lots of different stations once. OSCE gains come from repetition and correction on the same archetype until you’re boringly reliable.
SourceEricsson et al. (1993): deliberate practice framework (PDF)
Open Link SourceOSCE checklist/video review + debriefing effects (open access, PMC)
Open Link SourceVideo-assisted reflection and OSCE feedback practices (Wiley, 2021)
Open Link