The ECOSTRESS Study: Influence of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination on Stress Among Medical Student

Recruiting

• Conditions: Stress; Heart Rate Variability; Medical Student

• Registration Number: NCT06138457
• Lead Sponsor: University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand

Brief Summary

We will assess stress using heart rate variability during examination on medical student. Three time of measurement will be performed. First standardized objective clinical examination, second classic table examination and third a control day.

Detailed Description

French medical students have benefited from a new evaluation method since 2020 in the form of a standardized objective clinical examination (OSCE). This examination consists of an evaluation of an initial clinical situation, in relation to a pre-identified and nationally identical objective in all Medical School. During these exams, the student has one minute of preparation then seven minutes of evaluation in front of a facilitator, member of the teaching staff. An examiner is also present in the room to search in real time for keywords intended for grading. The examiner and facilitator may or may not be tenured teachers. Students benefit from annual training organized by the Medical School of Clermont-Ferrand in which they all participate. This exam appears to be excessively stressful for students. However, there is currently no data regarding the objective measurement of the stress of these students. Heart rate variability is a biomarker of stress measured with a simple heart rate monitor or a watch, completely painless, non-intrusive, and used by the general public routinely in many areas (monitoring sports sessions, etc...).

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-06-29
• Status Verified: 2023-11
• Study First Submitted: 2023-11-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-11-14
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-11-14
• Study First Posted: 2023-11-18
• Last Update Posted: 2023-11-18
• Primary Completion: 2030-06-29
• Study Completion: 2030-06-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• All medical student that agree to participate

Exclusion Criteria

• All medical student that disagree to participate

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)	24 hours	Comparison of heart rate variability during one day of OSCE versus a traditional table examination.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Subjective stress	12 hours	Study of stress using visual analogic scale (VAS)
Stress correlation	Once	Study of correlation between subjective stress (VAS) and objective stress (HRV)
Sociodemographic	Once	Study of factors influencing heart rate variability (time of passage, anticipatory stress, sociodemographic, or lifestyle habits).

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Medical School of Clermont-Ferrand; 🇫🇷 Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

CHU clermont-ferrand; 🇫🇷 Clermont-Ferrand, France