Importance of clinical skills exam: An opportunity for allied healthcare students

Abstract

The clinical skills remain crucial for effective patient care in today’s medical environment. Research works have shown that students lack clinical skills even after graduation. One reason which could be the cause is that the faculty is unable to evaluate the students on the clinical skills exam, if the student is informed about the significance of clinical skills and about a certification exam structure which not only evaluates the student on a theory exam section but also on a clinical skills exam section, this may lead to increase focus and practice of the clinical skills more often by the students, not because the training program requires it but also because the certification they are about to appear for consist of a clinical exam section along with a theory exam section. The students will prepare themselves in such a way that the clinical skills can be performed when asked to be performed on the clinical skills section of the certification exam. Also on passing such certification exams with a clinical skills exam section on it, will not only evaluates the student’s knowledge but may also exhibit the employer that the student has performed the clinical skills exam and a theory exam to get certified. The most significant approach of evaluating clinical skills is by direct observation of the student performing the clinical skills.Eventually clinical skills training can be put to test by finally challenging a certification exam by the student which evaluates the students not only on a theory exam but also on a clinical skills exam, this will not only motivate the student to work harder on the clinical skills exam but will also encourage the student to learn and practice the skills to a level that it can be performed on the clinical skills exam. The student can then perform the clinical skills in the direct observation of a qualified evaluator who can then document the results for the clinical skills exam. Research works have shown that clinical skills are deficient in students who perform least in the direct observation of the faculty member in training period; this may sometimes lead to not passing the clinical skills exam on the certification. Clinical skills assessment has a very important role in healthcare training and education. The author outlines the use of clinical skills exam and the ways in which a faculty can improve the method of training the students for clinical skills. The author is stimulating the idea of focusing of clinical skills exam for allied healthcare professionals, as it may lead to effective care for patients.