Correlation between task-based checklists and global rating scores in undergraduate objective structured clinical examinations in Saudi Arabia: a 1-year comparative study

This study investigated the correlation between task-based checklist scores and global rating scores (GRS) in objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) for fourth-year undergraduate medical students and aimed to determine whether both methods can be reliably used in a standard setting. A comparative observational study was conducted at Al Rayan College of Medicine, Saudi Arabia, involving 93 fourth-year students during the 2023–2024 academic year. OSCEs from 2 General Practice courses were analyzed, each comprising 10 stations assessing clinical competencies. Students were scored using both task-specific checklists and holistic 5-point GRS. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s α, and the relationship between the 2 scoring methods was assessed using the coefficient of determination (R2). Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained.