Efficacy of Near-Assisted Learning (NAL) in Improving Students' OSCE Grades: A Single-Blinded RCT
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cost, Problem-based Learning, Peer Group
Sponsor: Sulaiman AlRajhi Colleges

Efficacy of near-assisted learning (NAL) in improving students’ 
OSCE grades: A single-blinded RCT 
 
Document date: 10/4/2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Study protocol: 
In this single-blinded randomized controlled trial, 1st year male medical students of Sulaiman 
Alrajhi Colleges were invited via emails to participate voluntarily. Forty-eight students agreed to 
join and, after informed consent, were randomly assigned to one of two groups; the near-assisted 
learning group (The intervention) and the self-directed learning group (The control arm). 
Meanwhile, a group of 5th year medical students, known to be the top in their class, were invited 
to participate as instructors during the OSCE sessions. After their acceptance, they underwent 
extensive 2-week crash course focusing in basics of medical education, teaching and feedback 
cycle, along with quick supervised revision of systemic and general physical examination. At the 
analysis phase, scores of the previous batch were also included as a 3rd group for comparison. The 
study was concluded after 9 days, when the students had their skills evaluated during OSCE 
examination. 
Analysis plan: 
Through SPSS 23rd edition, frequency, proportion analysis, chi-square and Fisher’s exact test were 
used. A probability value of less than .05 was determined for significance. 
Results: 
Those scoring B or better in the near-assisted learning, self-directed learning and the students of 
the previous batch groups were 22 (88%), 19 (82.6%) and 7 (50%), respectively (p= 0.025). More 
participants from the last group score A or more in comparison to the other two groups. On the 
other hand, less students failed the OSCE exam from the near-assisted and self-directed learning 
groups than the group of the prior batch.