What are the different roles in group practice mode?
What are the different roles in Group Practice Mode?
The OSCE Stations platform is ideal for group practice, with support for multiple roles. Group Practice Mode is available to both free and paid users.
đź”— Learn how to set up Group Practice Mode here
Please note: Virtual patients and virtual examiners are not available in Group Practice Mode.
You need at least two people to start: a candidate and an examiner (the examiner can also act as the patient).
The Candidate
The candidate is the person being assessed, practising their OSCE skills.
Preparation
You’ll be redirected to the candidate instruction page, which includes a 2-minute timer
Click play to begin your preparation time. You can adjust the timer using the + and – buttons or ask another group member to time for you
Use this time to review the scenario details (e.g. station type, setting, brief patient summary)
A notes box is available to jot down key points
After two minutes, the system will prompt you to start the station
During the Station
Interact with the patient while the examiner times the station
If practising remotely, don’t forget to join the audio channel
Your group can choose whether to include viva questions at the end
After the Station
Once the examiner ends the session, you’ll see the feedback summary page
You'll receive checklist-based scoring, global impression feedback, and optional patient feedback
Feedback can be delivered verbally, viewed on-screen, shared via a link (Share button), or downloaded as a PDF
The Patient
The patient answers the candidate’s questions or acts as the model for examination.
Preparation
After selecting your role, you’ll be taken to the patient instructions page
Instructions vary by station type — they may be detailed (e.g. history-taking) or brief (e.g. examinations)
Some details are marked to be revealed only if directly asked, so review carefully
During the Station
Respond appropriately to the candidate’s questions or actions
Join the audio channel if practising remotely
Remember: it’s the candidate being assessed, not you
The examiner is responsible for timing
After the Station
You can offer basic feedback on the candidate to the examiner - for example, whether you would be happy to be treated by this candidate
You will not see the detailed examiner feedback
The Examiner
The examiner assesses the candidate and manages timing.
If you're in a group of two, you’ll also act as the patient - scroll down to find patient instructions below the checklist.
Preparation
You’ll have access to the full station content, including candidate and patient instructions, the checklist, diagnosis (if relevant), and optional viva questions
The system includes a preparation timer, which you can manage if the candidate prefers not to do it themselves
During the Station
Press play on the timer at the start
Join the audio channel if practising remotely
Mark the candidate using the OSCE checklist
You can ask optional viva questions at the end
After the Station
Inform the group that the station has ended
Complete the feedback, including: OSCE checklist results, global impression, patient feedback and optional free-text comments
Once complete, press End Session
You’ll see the feedback summary page, which the candidate can also view
You can:
Give feedback verbally
Share a link using the Share button
Generate a PDF using the PDF button
Running a circuit
Click Next station in circuit to move all users to the next station while keeping the same roles.
To change roles between stations, run each station individually instead of starting a full circuit.
The Observer
The observer can view the station and learn by watching others.
You can view candidate and patient instructions
If you'd like access to the checklist, open the station separately (outside Group Practice Mode), but note you won’t have access to the group audio
You can help run timers if needed
Join the audio channel if practising remotely
Observers cannot view the examiner’s feedback
Updated on: 07/04/2025
Thank you!