Assessing Physician Assistant Student Electronic Health Record Competency Using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination

Emily Jacobsen; Sarah Drummond; Frances Emily Biagioli; Rebecca E Cantone

doi:10.1097/JPA.0000000000000354

Assessing Physician Assistant Student Electronic Health Record Competency Using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination

J Physician Assist Educ. 2021 Jun 1;32(2):93-96. doi: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000354.

Authors

Emily Jacobsen^{1

2

3

4}, Sarah Drummond^{1

2

3

4}, Frances Emily Biagioli^{1

2

3

4}, Rebecca E Cantone^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Emily Jacobsen, PA-C, is an assistant professor in the Division of Physician Assistant Education at Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine, Portland, Oregon.
² Sarah Drummond, EdD, is an assistant professor and the director of Research and Assessment in the Division of Physician Assistant Education at Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine, Portland, Oregon.
³ Frances Emily Biagioli, MD, is a professor and vice chair for Education in the Department of Family Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine, Portland, Oregon.
⁴ Rebecca E. Cantone, MD, is an assistant professor of Department of Family Medicine and OHSU School of Medicine Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education Student Affairs, director of Family Medicine (FM) Student Education, and director of FM Core Clinical Experience at Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine, Portland, Oregon.

PMID: 34004647
DOI: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000354

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluate didactic year physician assistant (PA) student competency in electronic health record (EHR) communication and data management.

Methods: This study used an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to measure PA students' EHR patient communication and data skills.

Results: Most students demonstrated good EHR communication skills overall, while few students moved the computer to better facilitate the visit or verified the patient's identity. Additionally, few students demonstrated EHR data skills by reviewing patient history and medications.

Conclusions: Utilizing an OSCE to assess EHR competence can highlight areas for curricular improvement in order to improve EHR skills.

MeSH terms

Clinical Competence
Communication
Educational Measurement
Electronic Health Records*
Humans
Physician Assistants* / education
Students