Objective structured clinical examination technical skill stations correlate more closely with postgraduate year level than do clinical skill stations

Validity of an examination format is supported by its ability to distinguis h levels of training among examinees, The Objective Structured Clinical Exa mination (OSCE) is a developing format generally composed of various types of task-oriented stations used to evaluate clinical skills of students and residents. The ideal composition of OSCE stations to maximize validity has not been determined. We examined the relative correlation between selected types of stations and level of resident postgraduate year (PGY). A 12-stati on OSCE was administered to surgical residents of all PGY levels at a unive rsity program. Individual station scores were correlated with PGY level. Th e overall correlation of the total examination score with PGY level was goo d (R = 0.681). Technical skill stations exhibited a significantly greater c orrelation with PGY level (0.679 vs 0.203) as compared with clinical skill stations (P < 0.05). These data suggest that technical skill evaluation is more sensitive in distinguishing level of training of surgical residents th an is clinical skill evaluation.