Examining the Associations Between Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Scores and Fieldwork Performance: Results from an Occupational Therapy Program.

The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between scores obtained on objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and on fieldwork placements within an occupational therapy program. Scores from four OSCEs and four fieldwork evaluations were obtained for 95 occupational therapy students. Associations between OSCE scores and fieldwork scores were investigated using Spearman's rank order correlations and contingency table analyses. Results showed that three out of the four OSCEs were positively associated with performance on fieldwork placement occurring immediately after completion of coursework within the program. Poor performance on the final OSCE predicted poor performance on the final two fieldwork placements. These results provide preliminary validity evidence for the use of OSCEs to predict subsequent performance in fieldwork placements. Revisions to program OSCEs and additional support for preceptors in the appropriate use of the fieldwork evaluation tool are recommended.