Grader Background and Remote Scoring Linked to Lower OSCE Scores in Pharmacy Exam Study

Who graded a pharmacy OSCE, and how they graded it, were linked to the scores students received. A study published in BMC Medical Education examined how grading workflows and evaluator backgrounds affected student performance in a multi-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) at a school of pharmacy. The research compared scores assigned by faculty from Pharmacy Practice departments with those from other departments, in-person grading with remote asynchronous grading, and different exam session timings.

Sixty-six students completed six OSCE stations. Their performances were assessed using both analytical and global rubrics by faculty graders from various departments, who evaluated the students either in person or remotely. The researchers then conducted statistical analysis using linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the effects of grader background, grading method, and exam timing on student scores.

Two of the three factors mattered. Grader background had a significant impact on scores: faculty from Pharmacy Practice departments tended to award lower scores than graders from other departments. Grading method also had a significant effect, with remote graders tending to give lower scores than those who evaluated students in person. Exam timing, by contrast, showed no significant effect on student scores in this dataset.

The authors interpret the modality finding cautiously but meaningfully: asynchronous remote grading was associated with lower OSCE scores than live grading, suggesting that grading modality may meaningfully influence scoring patterns rather than merely reflecting differences in student ability. Combined with the observed differences tied to evaluator background, the results point to a practical implication for assessment design. The study concludes that these findings support the need for targeted rater calibration and standardized scoring practices to promote fair and reliable OSCE assessment in pharmacy education.

Subject of Research: Effects of grader type, grading modality, and exam timing on OSCE scores in pharmacy education

Article Title: Evaluating OSCE workflow designs: impacts of grader type, modality, and exam timing

Article References: Bach, A., & Beuttler, R. (2026). Evaluating OSCE workflow designs: impacts of grader type, modality, and exam timing. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10660-6

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10660-6

Keywords: OSCE, pharmacy education, assessment, grading modality, rater calibration, BMC Medical Education, clinical examination, grader background, remote grading, exam timing, Evaluating, workflow