This section covers the decisions that come before anyone writes a station. Who owns the exam? When does the work start? What will it cost? Which rules bind you? Which policies do you need in writing before exam day? An OSCE that skips these questions still runs. But every later problem lands on a person who has no authority to fix it.
Governance comes first. A named committee with a clear remit decides the blueprint, approves stations, sets the pass mark and hears appeals. Without it, decisions are made in corridors and cannot be defended later.
Time comes next. A first OSCE needs a calendar that starts months ahead. It runs from blueprint sign-off through station writing, examiner training, simulated patient casting, venue booking and rehearsals to the result release. The section gives a working timeline. It explains which steps can be compressed and which cannot.
Money and rules follow. The section sets out what drives cost, from examiner hours to venue and equipment. It shows how to budget for both a pilot and a full exam. It explains what accreditation bodies and national regulators expect. It also covers the documents to be written: the assessment regulations, the reasonable-adjustment policy, and the consent forms that candidates and simulated patients sign.
The assessment lead and the exam office own this section. The committee approves its outputs. Everything that follows assumes these decisions are made and written down.