Comparative Analysis of Integrated OSPE Versus Conventional OSPE in Assessing First-Year BDS Students’ Competence

Background: Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPEs) are widely utilized in medical and dental education to assess students' practical skills and clinical knowledge. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Integrated and Conventional Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPE) in evaluating first-year BDS students at Dental College Hitec-IMS, focusing on identifying disparities in performance outcomes and analyzing implementation challenges. Methods: The retrospective study employed a mixed-methods approach and was conducted at HITEC-IMS Dental College. It investigated assessments completed in June 2022 (Integrated OSPE) and October 2022 (Conventional OSPE). The research included the same cohort of 51 first-year BDS students using a purposive sampling technique. Student performance data were statistically analyzed using mean scores for descriptive analysis and p-values for inferential analysis on SPSS 27. Qualitative data were gathered through focus group discussions involving students and faculty (n=35)The study used a significance level of 0.05, with the comparison yielding a p-value of < 0.001. Results: Using an independent sample t-test, the findings revealed a statistically significant difference between the two evaluation styles. The Conventional OSPE group achieved a mean score of 68.57 (+/-9.85), outperforming the Integrated OSPE group, which had a mean score of 55.42 (+/-12.34). The performance of the two groups differed significantly (p-value < 0.001), indicating that the conventional OSPE format enhanced overall student performance. Qualitative findings further elucidated key factors influencing these outcomes. Conclusion: The Conventional OSPE demonstrated greater effectiveness and viability than the Integrated OSPE, which faced logistical and resource constraints. Addressing these challenges may enhance the future viability of the Integrated OSPE success.