An Interactive Narrative Intervention to Increase Adolescents' Knowledge and Self-Efficacy to Reduce Alcohol Use: Pre-Post Study.

An oral examination—also known as a viva or oral assessment—is a face-to-face evaluation method in which students verbally respond to examiners’ questions. It can be conducted one-on-one or in front of a panel and often involves discussion, case analysis, or problem-solving tasks []. The format allows examiners to probe the depth of understanding, clarify ambiguous responses, and assess how students organize and express their thoughts under pressure []. Oral exams are widely utilized across various disciplines and levels of education, particularly in high-stakes contexts []. In the medical and paramedical fields—including medicine, nursing, dentistry, physiotherapy, pharmacy, and public health—oral assessments play a critical role in evaluating students’ clinical decision-making, ethical reasoning, and professional judgment. They are also commonly used in interprofessional education settings, interdisciplinary case conferences, and competency-based assessments, reflecting their broad applicability and value in healthcare education []. The oral examination format offers several advantages over written and multiple-choice tests. It provides the opportunity for interactive assessment, immediate feedback, and tailored questioning based on student responses []. Oral exams closely mirror real-world clinical interactions, making them superior in assessing non-cognitive skills such as empathy, communication, professionalism, and the ability to think on one’s feet []. Its adaptability also allows examiners to explore complex reasoning processes, identify misconceptions, and evaluate critical thinking in ways that traditional written exams often fail to achieve [].