MFDS/MJDF HISTORY TAKING STATION

Summary that should be printed on 1 sheet of A4 paper (both sides).
This is a summary of the format in which the history should always be taken and the relevant questions that should be asked in a dental undergraduate or postgraduate osce exam. It is thorough and should be memorised as a guide to follow during all osce exams for history taking stations. In Dentistry OSCE examinations that entail communication with patients, the use of technical terms and "jargon" are inappropriate and account for a large cause of failing OSCE stations. This summary perfectly summarizes all the relevant questions that need to be asked in layman terms.

Learning this and rattling it off, especially when I am stuck in OSCE examinations, has definitely helped me pass these practical examinations. I have used this in all my undergraduate and postgraduate dentistry examinations.

In practical examinations for Dentistry (undergraduate and postgraduate), the History Station is the most basic examination station that ALWAYS WILL BE PRESENT. The main reasons that this is also the most failed station is because the candidate uses jargon when speaking to the patient and because the questions that the candidate asks the patient are not following a structured pattern which is what the examiner is looking for.

I could not find all the questions in a single textbook so I spent quite a bit of time compiling the necessary questions ( from lecturers, clinical experience and textbooks) , in layman terms that I needed to ask and also in the correct structure/format.

I have found this to be my most useful study material, taking me all the way from undergraduate to postgraduate dental studies where I have been successful in my osces.

Good luck and remember to STUDY SMART not hard!