RANZCR objective structured clinical examination in radiology (OSCER) examination

Last revised by Joshua Yap on 14 Oct 2023

The RANZCR Objective Structured Clinical Examination in Radiology (OSCER) examination is part of the RANZCR Phase 2 examinations. It is considered the final capstone examination to assess a trainee's competence to practice autonomously as a clinical radiologist, incorporating clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, medical skills and knowledge, as well as broader intrinsic roles including communication and professionalism.

The examination is typically attempted in the third or fourth year of training. Trainees must pass the Phase 2 written examinations before they are eligible to sit the OSCER examination.

The examination is held twice a year in early June and early November. Results are subsequently released in late June and late November. The examination is currently held over three consecutive days at Cliftons in Melbourne, Australia.

Format

The OSCER examination consists of seven oral stations: 

  • abdominal

  • neuroradiology / head and neck

  • thoracic and cardiovascular

  • breast

  • obstetrics and gynecology

  • musculoskeletal

  • pediatrics

Each station is 25 minutes long, with 8 digital cases per station, and each candidate will complete all seven stations within a single 4-hour block. Cases are standardized such that all candidates on a single day will be shown the same cases and questions in the same order.

Whereas previously the cases were presented as "hard-copy" films shown on a light-box, since November 2021 the cases have been shown digitally via a PACS viewer (Practique). As with any PACS viewer, there are imaging tools such as magnification, windowing, measurements, etc. All the images are downloaded locally prior to the commencement of the examination to prevent slow loading times during the examination.

Only pertinent images for each case are shown, with a combination of mosaic (up to 2 x 3 grid format, particularly with ultrasound cases) and scrollable (of variable slices) images. No more than two scrollable stacks will be shown in a case. CTs and MRIs may also be presented as multiple phases or sequences in a single static mosaic. Further images do not have to be asked for or "earned".

There is no negative marking, normal cases, or "instant fail" cases.

During each station, candidates are examined by two examiners who are a combination of sub-specialists and generalists. One examiner asks the questions, the other marks the candidate, and both collaborate over the score at the end.

The examination process is as follows:

  1. examiners will verbally provide a case history and release images to the candidate dashboard

  2. the candidate is able to open and navigate the images once available

  3. the examiner will begin asking the candidate standardized questions (most cases consist of 3 questions, with a maximum of 5 questions)

  4. the candidate should wait for each question before speaking (and answer only the question)

  5. the examiner will indicate when it is time to move to the next case and repeat this process

Content

There are seven domains standardized across each station with the following approximate weightings:

  • observation (25%)

  • interpretation (30%)

  • management (15%)

  • pathology (15%)

  • anatomy (5%)

  • AIT / patient safety (5%)

  • intrinsic roles (communicator, collaborator, leader, health advocate, professional, scholar, cultural competency) (5%)

The categories and weightings for each station are:

  • category 1 (60%)

  • category 2 (30%)

  • category 3 (10%)

Scoring

Each individual case shown during the station has a maximum of 10 marks set to a standardized marking rubric. Each station therefore has a maximum of 80 marks (8 cases x 10 marks) and the whole examination has a maximum of 560 marks (7 stations x 80 marks). Unlike other viva examinations, the passing standard is determined by the overall score rather than the number of cases passed.

The passing standard is set by the relevant examination review panel using formal standard-setting procedures (borderline regression). As well as achieving the overall passing standard for the whole OSCER, candidates must achieve the passing standard for each station, and further achieve minimum component standards in all domains across all stations in order to pass.

Candidates are required to pass all individual stations to pass the OSCER examination overall. If one or two individual stations are failed, then only those stations need to be re-sat at the next exam sitting. However, if three or more individual stations are failed, all seven stations need to be re-sat at the next exam sitting. Candidates have a maximum of three opportunities to complete the OSCER examination.

Technique

Useful resources to aid in preparation for the OSCER examination include:

NB: Details are correct at the time of writing. Please check with RANZCR for updated details. 

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