Pretty confident I failed my OSCE, not sure what to do.

Title says it all really, had my 4th year OSCEs today and I walked out feeling so **** about them, there's absolutely no chance I passed. I muddled through all of the stations but I missed some really really easy marks (eg. forgot to ask about HIV status in a sexual health history, froze when the guy in a psychosis station asked "do you think I'm crazy" etc.) that are just common sense.

I'm just super frustrated because I've been revising for these exams since May and I KNOW I know the content, I just get really flustered and panicked in the exam and can barely function - the complete opposite of what I'm like on the wards!

I still have my written and spotter to go, but I feel so in my head about the OSCE and I'm not sure what to do (aside from just buck up and keep studying for the last two papers)

Any advice would be appreciated!

Reply 1

asif007

You don't know you have failed until you have written confirmation in your hand stating that you have. Put it to the back of your mind, take a few hours to relax and then focus on completing your next exams to the best of your ability. Don't keep going round in circles about how badly you think this exam went, especially when you still have more exams coming up. Get those out of the way first.

I say this on here a lot: if I had £1 for every time I hear medical students on here saying how badly they think their exam went, only to pass it without a problem and never speak about it again - I would be a very rich man. Chances are, you did better than you think you did and you only remember what you forgot in the exam, not everything that went successfully. When you receive your results for the OSCE, if it turns out you have failed then come back again and we will chat about it. Cross that bridge when you come to it. Until then, keep your head in the game for the next exams.

Reply 2

Anonymous #2

Just had the exact same thing happen to me today...
I'm not at all bad at wards, I know the content, in fact, I rehearsed it multiple times with my friends and spiced it up and all that jazz.

1) I forgot to check for signs of hallucinations/psychosis in a patient that had PTSD, so messed up a significant part of the risk assessment.
2) I gave diuretics (furosemide) in an A-E Assessment of a STEMI (ACS) pt just after the time finished, not sure if it counted. And I think I almost shouted it out, I think the examiner was angry as she started writing immediately after that.
3) I finished a dysphagia history about 3-4 minutes early, and sat so darn awkwardly. I legit think I lost marks cos of how extremely awkward it was.
4) I did an upper neurological exam in a patient with issues regarding their right hand, and when pressed for differentials, the best I had was a nerve lesion and potentially an MSK problem? I was so damn clueless.

Istg, after resting today, I'm going to prepare for the resits. Never failed an OSCE this bad before... jesus.