Casualty Objective Standardized Clinical Examinations (COSCEs)

Casualty Objective Standardized Clinical Examinations (COSCEs) are an adaptation of the Objective Standardized Clinical Examination (OSCE) system of evaluation. OSCEs employ scenarios and a trained standardized patient to simulate, in a standardized manner, the symptoms of a disease state. A checklist is used to evaluate the simulation in a psychometrically sound manner. The COSCE adapts this format utilizing a standardized casualty or victim (or multiples casualties) simulating the result of a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other public health emergency. Again, a validated checklist is used to evaluate cognitive, psychomotor, and interpersonal skills.