Study guide
The IGOEE OSCE: short and long cases explained
How the IGOEE OSCE works: 17-minute short cases and 32-minute long cases, the procedures examiners watch, how stations are scored, and how to practise.
Updated October 22, 2026 · IGOEE Prep
The format
Short cases
10stations × 17 minutes
10 stations × 17 min: 2 reading · 5 with the patient · 10 examiner questions. History, communication, explanation and management; no physical examination. Touchstone's page also mentions nine short stations; confirm in your invitation.
Long cases
3stations × 32 minutes
3 stations × 32 min: 2 reading · 2 equipment check · 22 with the patient · 6 examiner questions. Dilated fundus exam, BIO, contact tonometry and gonioscopy on standardized patients.
Content areas
- Refractive error and presbyopia
- Diabetes
- Binocular vision
- Retinal vascular disease
- Cataract and glaucoma or glaucoma suspect
- Anterior segment disease
- Macular disease
The long-case procedures
Examiners watch safety, hygiene and technique as closely as the result. Practise each until it's automatic:
- Goldmann applanation tonometry. Contact tonometry is a required long-case procedure. Examiners watch for safety, hygiene and correct mire alignment as much as the number.
- Gonioscopy. Needed to classify open versus closed angles, look for PAS, neovascularization and pigment, and decide whether dilation is safe.
- Pupil dilation. Dilation must be safe: check the angle and history first and counsel the patient afterwards.
- Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy. Required for the long cases. BIO gives a wide, stereo view of the periphery, which you need to count quadrants of retinopathy and find tears.
- Slit lamp fundus exam with a condensing lens. Gives magnified, stereo detail of the disc, macula and vessels to complement BIO.
What examiners look for
- A structured history: an open question first, then focused questions; medications, allergies, history and the patient's concerns
- Clear communication: plain language, no jargon, checking understanding (teach-back), and empathy
- Sound reasoning: a likely diagnosis, a sensible differential, and a plan with the right urgency
- Safe practice: hand hygiene, consent, explaining each step, and knowing when to refer
- Time management: summarizing before time runs out, especially in the 5 minutes with the short-case patient
Common mistakes
- Jumping to closed questions and missing the patient's real concern
- Forgetting medications, allergies or pregnancy before recommending a drug
- Using clinical terms the patient can't follow
- Leaving the plan or follow-up interval vague
- Skipping hygiene or consent steps in the long cases
How to practise
Work in pairs or threes: one candidate, one patient, one examiner, with a timer that follows the real phases. IGOEE Prep's stations run the timing automatically, offer a scripted or AI patient, and score your attempt against a rubric and model answers.
Questions
How long is each IGOEE OSCE station?
Short-case stations are 17 minutes (2 minutes reading, 5 with the patient, 10 of examiner questions). Long-case stations are 32 minutes (2 reading, 2 equipment check, 22 with the patient, 6 of examiner questions).
Which procedures are tested in the long cases?
A dilated fundus exam, binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy, contact tonometry and gonioscopy on standardized patients.
Where is the OSCE held?
In person in Toronto. For the 2027 sitting, short cases are on March 12 and long cases on March 13–14.
How can I practise the OSCE alone?
Use timed stations with a scripted or AI patient, answer the examiner's questions out loud, and score yourself against a rubric. Then rehearse with a partner as often as you can.