BACKGROUND:
Background: Midwifery as a practice profession requires educators to pay close attention to clinical skills to equip midwifery students to become safe and competent practitioners. Evidence from international studies show that Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is one of the assessment methods used effectively in midwifery education.

OBJECTIVES:
Objectives: To explore midwifery students’ experiences of participating in a group obstetric emergency OSCE.

METHODS:
Methods: The study employed a qualitative descriptive approach. Seventeen final year BSc midwifery students participated in a focus group interview via Zoom in April 2024 following the release of their assessment results. Thematic analysis was selected to analyse the data. Ethical approval was obtained from the study site. Participation was voluntary. The participants gave written and verbal consent prior to interview, which was conducted after the completion of the assessment process.

RESULTS:
Results: Three themes with associated subthemes describe midwifery student’s narratives of their experience 1) ‘relevance to clinical practice’ – ‘mirrored clinical practice,’ ‘realistic’; 2) ‘opportunities’ – ‘safe learning environment’, ‘development of transferable skills’ e.g. leadership, team work, communication; 3) ‘challenges’ – ‘time for practice’, ‘free riders’. Overall, the participants preferred group OSCE to individual OSCE’s and were less nervous.

CONCLUSIONS:
Conclusion: Group OSCE is a valuable learning and assessment resource that mirrors real life situations. Scheduling a suitable time for practice while on clinical placement and unequal contribution by group members were challenges encountered by some of the students.

KEY MESSAGE:
Key message: Group OSCE provides a safe space for consolidating leaning through simulation. It enhances students’ development of transferable skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork/collaboration. Education - clinical skills (+Three-minute presentation competition)