Abstract
Background: Although national licensing examinations (NLEs) may be a costly process, they can predict performance of medical practitioners for many years following graduation. The current licensing requirements do not fulfill this function as there are no clear performance criteria for them. Therefore, new requirements should be developed and announced.Objective: The study aims to develop a framework for the Egyptian Medical Licensing Exam (EMLE) by exploring the opinions and perceptions of Egyptian health practitioners and medical educators.Methods: This study is a two-phase exploratory mixed-method study. An online discussion forum was conducted with medical practitioners and educators concerning the development of the EMLE. Then, an online survey was distributed to explore the opinions of medical practitioners and educators about the EMLE.Results: Fifty medical practitioners and educators participated in the discussion forum about the development of the EMLE, while 266 participants responded to the online survey. The responses of the participants contributed to the development of a framework for the EMLE that is divided into two main sections, the exam logistics and the exam set up. The exam logistics included the exam committee, prerequisites for the exam, the admission criteria and fees, and validity of the license. The exam set up included exam setting, structure, pass marks, and exam retake policy.Conclusion: The study concluded that medical practitioners and educators could contribute greatly to the planning for the EMLE. Their opinions are based on their experiences and include the timing of the exam, blueprinting, assessment methods, psychometrics and retake.
Highlights
In response to the increased demand for social accountability over the last 20 years, many countries have shown a greater tendency towards improving medical regulations
Fifty medical practitioners and educators participated in the discussion forum about the development of the Egyptian Medical Licensing Exam (EMLE), while 266 participants responded to the online survey
The responses of the participants contributed to the development of a framework for the EMLE that is divided into two main sections, the exam logistics and the exam set up
Summary
In response to the increased demand for social accountability over the last 20 years, many countries have shown a greater tendency towards improving medical regulations This in turn created the need for extensive examinations to assure that minimum standards for competent medical graduates are being met [1]. It has been recorded that many professionals cross borders to get a chance to become physicians in more lenient settings [3] All these factors highlight the importance to adapt licensing procedures to ensure professionals’ quality, patient safety, and public trust maintenance. One of the main methods to ensure healthcare providers’ quality, adherence to regulations, and meeting optimum care standards is to apply licensing procedures on all future physicians This may be costly, there is evidence that supports the ability of licensing exams to predict better performance of healthcare professionals for many following years.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
