LAUSR

As a fourth year Cardiff medical student it was interesting to read the paper by Ludwig et al. (2017) which evaluated the effectiveness of group observed structured encounters (GOSCEs) in medical education. Cardiff University offers GOSCE-style teaching sessions from second to fifth year focusing on communication skills; I find the results of this study echo the general feeling from my cohort as to the worth of these sessions. From a student perspective, GOSCEs are an excellent way to practice skills in a safe environment. I personally find them extremely enjoyable, and my own communication improvements have been primarily due to advice given by my peers. I think there is also a great deal to be gained from peer group discussion, as opinions and expertise often differ. One aspect of GOSCEs not explored by Ludwig et al. (2017) would be the value of actor feedback. At Cardiff University we are offered advice from the actors following each task; I have found this to be an extremely useful practice. Although clearly not a perfect patient model, it is valuable to gain insight into their experience; often this feedback touches on aspects to the consultation which onlookers cannot comment on, for example, the actor’s emotional responses. It would be interesting to explore the general student view on this practice. I see GOSCEs as an exciting model for medical education, with many advantages both to student experience and to the preservation of resources. Ludwig et al. (2017) describes changes which could be made to allow reliable assessment of students using GOSCEs. From my experience, peer presence can be a good support; however, if made into examinations I think this would translate into an added pressure for students. I believe that GOSCEs are a valuable concept, but future development of the model should seek to improve their role in learning, rather than convert them into an assessment tool.