Abstract
Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are integral to pharmacy education, assessing students’ clinical communication, counseling, and decision-making skills. Our new “AI for Pharmacists” initiative builds respectfully on the valuable foundation of previous AI-supported tools like Knowledge and Simulation Education System (KASES), which have effectively helped students develop information-gathering skills through virtual patient interactions supplemented by case-based multiple-choice questions.
Scheduled for usage in the psychiatry module in semester 1 of 2025-26, this next-generation AI chatbot extends beyond earlier capabilities by enabling students to engage in realistic patient conversations that include counseling and clinical management recommendations. Importantly, it introduces an automated, rubric-based evaluation system that delivers immediate, targeted feedback on students’ consultation skills, clinical reasoning, and performance aligned with official OSCE competency frameworks.
Unlike traditional OSCE workshops, which depend on scheduled group sessions involving live role-players and assessors, this tool offers flexible, self-directed practice, empowering students to rehearse patient interactions independently and repeatedly. By providing instant, structured feedback, the chatbot effectively closes the learning feedback loop, promoting personalized reflection and skill refinement. While it is designed to supplement rather than replace in-person workshops, this approach addresses a key gap by offering accessible opportunities for students to develop counseling and management skills at their own pace.
The new chatbot builds thoughtfully on KASES’ strengths, which primarily focused on practicing information collection and knowledge application through MCQs, without integrated counseling practice or direct feedback on conversational quality. This enhanced functionality represents a significant advance in supporting experiential learning and OSCE readiness for pharmacy students.
Currently, the system includes two psychiatry cases based on authentic exam materials, forming a pilot to help students build confidence and competence through autonomous practice. This project exemplifies how generative AI can be harnessed to augment clinical education by creating immersive, interactive learning experiences with actionable feedback, ultimately preparing future pharmacists to meet the demands of practice with greater assurance.
Presenter(s) / Author(s)
