Global Minimum Essential Requirements Research Articles

An exploration of medical education in central and southern China: measuring professional competence for future physicians

BackgroundThe professional competence of clinical undergraduates is an important topic of research, and no effective instrument to measure this competence exists. We aimed to construct a scale for clinical undergraduates to evaluate their professional competence and associated determinants. MethodsWe developed the competence scale on the basis of four medical education standards (Global Minimum Essential Requirements [GMER], World Federation for Medical Education [WFME] standards, WHO standards, and Chinese standards) and a literature review. We used focus group discussions to complete the scale. We selected 288 undergraduates from two typical medical colleges in central and southeastern China by multistage sampling. We used factor analysis, correlation analysis, and internal consistency reliability to verify the validity and reliability of the scale. FindingsFactor analysis showed a scale consisting of eight dimensions with a total of 51 items. These dimensions were essential medical knowledge, public health or social science, essential clinical skills, advanced clinical skills, communication skills, advanced study skills, critical thinking and adaptation, and professionalism. Cronbach's α coefficients among the eight dimensions were over 0·800, with mean scores of 1·76 for essential medical knowledge, 1·38 for public health or social science, 1·92 for essential clinical skills, 1·54 for advanced clinical skills, 1·77 for communication skills, 1·25 for advanced study skills, 1·60 for critical thinking and adaptation, and 2·34 for professionalism. Clinical undergraduates whose academic grade was over average level had a higher score in the dimension of essential clinical knowledge than did students at or below average level. Women would like to report better professionalism than men. InterpretationThe competence scale was shown with good reliability and validity. Results of factor analysis indicated a further optimisation is needed to medical education standards. Professional competence of the respondents was relatively poor. This study could be a reference for policymakers to modify medical education standards for clinical undergraduates in China and other countries with similar settings. FundingHuazhong University of Science and Technology (2015119) and Hubei Provincial Department of Education (2015042).

Exploration and practice on the training of critical thinking in medical education

Critical thinking is one of the core professional competences for medical students. The ultimate goal of critical thinking is to combine the highly individualized experience and comprehension with the generally applicable scientific cognitive system. Therefore in medical education, the cultivation of critical thinking should embody the objective and the characteristics of critical thinking, such as rational restriction, dialectical thinking, empathy practice and scientific evaluation, and great attention to the principles and conditions of the application must be given. In the course of teaching design and implementation it's necessary to choose the appropriate point, to set up the teaching situation suitable for developing critical thinking, to optimize the structure of teaching content, to strengthen the practice of critical thinking methodology and to value asking questions and so on. Key words: Critical thinking; Medical education; global minimum essential requirements in medical education (GMER); Ability training; Medical humanity

Medical Students’ Disposition for Critical Thinking

Background: Global Minimum Essential Requirements (GMER) indicated critical thinking is an essential competency a medical graduate should possess. This study was to investigate the disposition for critical thinking that Chinese medical students possess and to explore the impact of current trends in medical education on the cultivation of these students’ critical thinking capabilities. Methods: We used Multistage Stratified Cluster Sampling to recruit a total of 1241 medical students, in five different years of training, from three different classes of the medical schools in China (Tongji, Shanghai; Soochow, Jiangsu; and Gannan, Jiangxi). The Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory-Chinese Version (CTDI-CV) was used to collect cross-sectional data. One hundred and twelve students underwent a scrutinized longitudinal study between their third and fourth years. Findings: The mean CTDI-CV score of the total population of 1241 was 287.04.729 (58.7%) received a 280 or higher. Statistically significant differences were found between schools, years of school attended, GPA, time spent learning after class, medical students’ attitude toward medicine, desire to be a doctor after graduation, and perception of critical thinking. Chinese students scored the highest on “Inquisitiveness” and the lowest on “Truth seeking” for CTDI-CV subscale. The 112 students in the longitudinal study had significantly lower CT subscale scores and percentage possesses positive CT disposition (>280) after one academic year. Interpretation: Even though Chinese medical students demonstrate a positive disposition for critical thinking in general, the Chinese system of medical education may not do enough to stimulate critical thinking skills in the students it cultivates. There exists a gap between current critical thinking abilities and the standard for which they should strive for. Chinese medical schools should institute reforms to their traditional curricula, teaching methods, and evaluation systems, as a means to bridge this gap and further develop critical thinking abilities within their medical students.

＇ Response to injury＇ teaching based on the concept of global minimum essential requirements

Taking global minimum essential requirements （ GMER ） as standard, school of basic medical science in Wuhan University paid more attention to the cultivation of students＇ professional skills, innovation ability and communication ability, ＇Response to injury＇ integrated course was carried out. Based on the immunology, this course involves pathology and pathophysiology and explores the mecha- nism of the diseases＇ diagnosis and treatment. It took small classes, bilingual education, literature read- ing, experiments and discussions in various forms. This reform aimed to improve the immunology, pathology and pathophysiology teaching and make our medical education meet the process of globalization. Key words: Global minimum essential requirements; Immunology; Pathology; Patho- physiology; Teaching reform

A Low-Cost Method for Performing a Curriculum Gap-Analysis in Developing Countries: Medical School Competencies in Ghana

Background: In this study, we undertook a comparison of the international, national, and local curricula of Ghanaian medical schools in order to identify any gaps. Purpose: To identify gaps in the Ghanaian medical school curriculum. Methods: The Ministry of Health and the two major sites for medical education in Ghana (UGMS, KNUST) participated using the only internationally accepted and validated set of outcome standards for medical education, the Global Minimum Essential Requirements. The competencies were reviewed by two U.S. consultants (DS, SR) and then edited, revised, and validated by individuals who are deeply involved in medical education in Ghana. Results: The KNUST team validated 6 gaps in their curriculum, and the team from UGMS identified 5. The standards were found by the U.S.-based consultants and validated by the Ghanaian team to have 6 gaps, many of which overlapped with those found in the Ghanaian medical school curricula. Conclusions: This analysis is a first step to determining physician training competency and an inexpensive method for identifying agreed-upon gaps in the current national requirements and local curriculum.

The outcomes of global minimum essential requirements (GMER) pilot implementation in China

Defining global standards for medical education in the form of competencies and the methods to evaluate whether an individual student possesses these competencies at graduation has long been a dream of some medical educators. The development of such standards, the methods to assess their presence and the pilot test study of the standards in graduating students at eight medical schools in China, as well as the process for establishing student and school performance “cut points”, has been previously described. This paper reports on the performance of a single student who went through the assessment process, the performance of all students at one of the eight medical schools and the collective performance of all students at all eight medical schools. The actual quantitative data is presented, as is the conclusion of where the student, the school and all schools had strengths, where they were borderline in performance and/or where they need improvement. The results are serving as a blueprint for medical education reform in China. Implications of the pilot test and the entire process are discussed, as is the potential for global adoption of outcome based assessments.

Attitudes of Chinese Medical Students Towardthe Global Minimum Essential Requirements Established bythe Institute for International Medical Education

Background: The Institute for International Medical Education has published "Global Minimum Essential Requirements (GMERs) in Medical Education." Purpose: This study examined attitudes of a sample of Chinese medical students toward the GMERs. Methods: Matriculating and graduating West China School of Medicine Sichuan University medical students were administered parallel surveys during the 2001 to 2002 academic years. Results: Both cohorts produced similar response profiles. The majority in both groups rated the 7 GMER domains as either important or very important for their medical education. Matriculating students rated professional values, attitudes, behavior, and ethics as most important, whereas graduating students valued clinical skills highest. Population health and health systems received the lowest importance ratings from both groups. Please note that this study was conducted before the SARS outbreak. As a result of the SARS experience, attitudes toward population health and health systems might have changed. Conclusion: Although medical students ascribe importance to the GMERs, efforts are needed to increase the perceived importance of the population health and health systems domain.

The assessment of global minimum essential requirements in medical education

Using an international network of experts in medical education, the Institute for International Medical Education (IIME) developed the Global Minimum Essential Requirements (GMER) as a set of competence-based outcomes for graduating students. To establish a set of tools to evaluate these competences, the IIME then convened a Task Force of international experts on assessment that reviewed the GMER. After screening 75 potential assessment tools, they identified three that could be used most effectively. Of the 60 competences envisaged in the GMER, 36 can be assessed using a 150-item multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination, 15 by using a 15-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), and 17 by using a 15-item faculty observation form. In cooperation with eight leading medical schools in China, the MCQ, OSCE and Faculty Observation Form were developed to be used in an assessment program that is scheduled to be given to all seven-year students in October 2003.

Global Minimum Essential Requirements: road to competence-oriented assessment of medical education programs

Global Minimum Essential Requirements: road to competence-oriented assessment of medical education programs

Global Minimum Essential Requirements: road to competence-oriented assessment of medical education programs

Global Minimum Essential Requirements: road to competence-oriented assessment of medical education programs

Global minimum essential requirements: a road towards competence-oriented medical education

With the growing globalization of medicine and the emerging concept of a 'global profession of physicians', the issue of the essential competences that all physicians must possess becomes sharply focused. If defined, these competences would help indicate what teachers are supposed to teach, what students are expected to learn and what educational experiences all physicians must have. The 'minimum essential competences' that all graduates must have if they wish to be called physicians were identified by the Institute for International Medical Education (IIME), sponsored by the China Medical Board of New York, through working groups of educational and health policy experts and representatives of major international medical education organizations. In the first phase of the project, seven domains have been identified that define the knowledge, skills, professional behavior and ethics that all physicians must have, regardless of where they received their general medical training. Appropriate tools to assess each of the domains have been identified. In the second phase of the project the 'global minimum essential requirements' (GMER) will be implemented experimentally in a number of Chinese medical schools. The aim of the third phase will be to share the outcomes of this educational experiment, aimed at improving the quality of medical education, with the global education community.

Global minimum essential requirements in medical education

The process of globalization is increasingly evident in medical education and makes the task of defining global essential competences required by 'global physicians' an urgent matter. This issue was addressed by the newly established Institute for International Medical Education (IIME). The IIME Core Committee developed the concept of 'global minimum essential requirements' ('GMER') and defined a set of global minimum learning outcomes that medical school students must demonstrate at graduation. The 'Essentials' are grouped under seven broad educational domains with a set of 60 learning objectives. Besides these 'global competences', medical schools should add national and local requirements. The focus on student competences as outcomes of medical education should have deep implications for curricular content as well as the educational processes of medical schools.

Minimum essential requirements and standards in medical education

Increasing globalization of medicine and worldwide migration of physicians call for urgent definition of a set of global standards and requirements to guide medical education curricula. This article reviews the definition of standards in general, and proposes a definition of standards and global minimum essential requirements for use in medical education. They may serve as a tool for the improvement of quality and international comparisons of basic medical programs. Reviewing the use of medical standards worldwide, the China Medical Board established the Institute for International Medical Education (IIME). The IIME project is aimed at defining 'global minimum essential requirements' comprising sciences basic to medicine, clinical knowledge and skills, professional values, behavior and ethics of universal value. They represent only a portion of requirements since the curriculum of each country and medical school has to address its unique health and social needs. Finally, existing impediments and hesitation in use of international standards in medical education are presented.

Undergraduate Medical Education in Bangladesh: Facts & Challenges

DOI: 10.3329/akmmcj.v1i1.7451Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Journal 2010; 1(1): 03