Excessive stress and anxiety can impair learning. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a valuable tool to assess and promote the acquisition of clinical skills. However, significant OSCE-related stress and anxiety are frequently reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between physiological stress, self-reported levels of anxiety due to an OSCE, self-efficacy, and the meanings that physical therapy students attribute to their experience with the exam.

Concurrent mixed methods study.

A total of 32 students took part in this study. All were enrolled in the third semester of a 10-semester Physical Therapy Bachelor Program. Salivary cortisol levels, self-reported anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI) were measured before the OSCE. Exam scores and self-efficacy ratings were also recorded. Correlations between variables were tested with the Pearson correlation, with ɑ at 0.05. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the personal perspectives of students. Thematic analysis was used to investigate emergent themes.

Trait anxiety scores were significantly higher than normative values ( p  < 0.001). A high proportion of students showed high (STAI> 49) state anxiety (37.5%) and trait anxiety (65.6%). Salivary cortisol was not associated anxiety ( p  > 0.05). Neither stress nor anxiety correlated with OSCE scores. A moderate and significant direct correlation was found for self-efficacy scores and OSCE scores ( r  = 0.475, p  = 0.007). Students reported that confidence had a calming effect and led to better self-perceived performance. They also reported that the OSCE can provide meaningful learning experiences despite being stressful.

A high proportion of our students reported a stable/lingering negative affect. However, neither stress nor anxiety related to OSCE scores. Students’ confidence in their capabilities was correlated with their performance. Their subjective reports suggest that self-confidence may have protected them from the negative effects of stress and anxiety on academic performance.