Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)

Information for OSCE 2026

• Target group: Hungarian-, English-, and German-language fifth-year and final-year medical students; participation is voluntary, and the exam is formative and non-graded
• Number of rotations: a total of 8 rotations, each lasting approximately 150–180 minutes
• Number of students: 12 students per rotation
• Number of stations: 10 stations plus 2 rest stations
• Duration of one station: 12 minutes, including preparation, task performance, and immediate feedback
• Station themes: assessment of basic clinical skills along common and/or life-threatening conditions, including clinical reasoning (e.g. differential diagnosis, patient pathway) and communication skills

Student registration: coming soon (places are limited; students will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis)

Background

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is an internationally established, standardized assessment format designed to evaluate students’ practical clinical skills, clinical reasoning, and communication competencies in realistic, simulated clinical settings. During the OSCE, students rotate through consecutive stations where they complete structured clinical tasks, while their performance is assessed using uniform criteria by trained examiners and standardized patients. Although termed an “examination,” the OSCE is, in its educational philosophy, an intensive practical learning experience. Its primary aim is to provide students with detailed, immediate feedback on their strengths and areas for development within a safe learning environment, while allowing them to apply their knowledge in authentic clinical decision-making situations.

At the University of Pécs Medical School, the OSCE has been implemented since 2023 following the initiative of Dr. László Czopf, Vice-Dean for Education, and has been offered as a voluntary, formative assessment. The Faculty’s long-term objective is the integration of the OSCE into the compulsory curriculum, in alignment with international accreditation requirements and the strategic development of practice-oriented medical education. A key milestone in this process is that for students who began their studies in 2025 or later, successful completion of the OSCE will become a mandatory curricular requirement in the 10th semester, while for earlier cohorts the OSCE continues to be offered on a voluntary, formative basis.

The organization and implementation of the OSCE are carried out through interdisciplinary collaboration, coordinated by the following organizing team:

• Clinical Lead:
  Dr. Judit Sebők, senior clinical doctor
  2nd Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Diabetology Centre
• Methodological Lead and Coordinator:
  Dr. Gergely Csaba, research fellow
  Division of Medical Education Development and Communication, Department of Behavioural Sciences
• Simulated Patient Program Coordinator:
  Dr. Anikó Hambuchné Kőhalmi, senior lecturer, deputy director
  Department of Languages for Biomedical Purposes and Communication
• Coordinator of Examination Facilities, Simulation Equipment and Technical Support:
  Dr. Szilárd Rendeki, senior lecturer, director
  Medical Skills Education and Innovation Centre

The program is supported at the faculty level by Dr. László Czopf, Vice-Dean for Education, while the clinical content and OSCE stations are developed with the active involvement of the Faculty’s clinical departments and institutes, under the coordination of the organizing team.

Further details about previous OSCE events are available in news articles published on the university website:

• OSCE 2023
• OSCE 2024
• OSCE 2025 

For questions or further information, please contact csaba.gergely@pte.hu.