Objective structured practical examination: a new concept in assessment of laboratory exercises in preclinical sciences.

The objective structured practical examination (OSPE) was used as an objective instrument for assessment of laboratory exercises in preclinical sciences, particularly physiology. It was adapted from the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The OSPE was administered to two consecutive classes in conjunction with the conventional examination in which the candidate is expected to perform a given experiment. The scores of the students in the two components of the examination were used to compare the OSPE with the conventional examination and to evaluate the new instrument of assessment. The OSPE appears to be a reliable device with a good capacity for discriminating between different categories of students. It is better in these respects than the conventional practical examination. Moreover, it has scope for being structured in such a way that all the objectives of laboratory teaching can be tested and each aspect can be assigned the desired weightage.