ABSTRACT
In the medical interview portion of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), we usually use both detailed checklists and a global rating scale to evaluate a student's performance. In the present study we investigated a problem with the detailed checklists.<br>1) The quality of the assessment of information-gathering capability was investigated in a station for the medical interview in a pharmaceutical OSCE.<br>2)A video review revealed a 7% error in the detailed checklist assessment at the OSCE station.<br>3) Following the interview in this study, the students wrote down the information they had gathered. These results differed by 15.6% from those of the detailed checklist assessment at the OSCE station. <br>4) In the present style of OSCE, the detailed checklist assessment at the OSCE station is problematic. The style in which the students write down the gathered information after the interview might be re-considered.
ABSTRACT
Qualitative research has gained greater attention in medical research, but it might seem to be unscientific because qualitative and quantitative research methods are grounded in different paradigm.<BR>In this article, we introduce three major qualitative research methods frequently used in studies of patient-doctor communications: 1) in-depth interviews; 2) focus group interviews and, 3) semi-structured interviews.<BR>Each qualitative research method has different or common advantages and disadvantages, and which methods should be used depends on the study objectives. Qualitative research and quantitative research are complementary: while quantitative research explains the prevalence or variation of an issue, qualitative research explains the reasons or processes of that prevalence or variation. Combination of the two methods enables the gathering of more comprehensive and explanatory results.