National Medical Licensing Examination Research Articles

Medical humanities: developing into a mainstream discipline.

Medical humanities: developing into a mainstream discipline.

New Challenges for Korean Medical Education: Enhancing Students’ Abilities to Deal with Uncertain Ill‐Defined Problems

Over the last century, medical education in North America has evolved by identifying educational challenges within its own socio-cultural context and by appropriately responding to these challenges. A discipline-based curriculum, organ-system or integrated curriculum, problem-based curriculum, and competency-based curriculum are historical examples of the educational solutions that have been developed and refined to address specific educational challenges, such as students’ lack of basic scientific knowledge, lack of integration between scientific knowledge and clinical practice, and lack of clinical practice. In contrast, Korean medical education has evolved with the influence of two forces: (1) the adoption of educational solutions developed in North America by pioneers who have identified urgent needs for medical education reform in Korea over the last three decades, and (2) the revitalization of Korean medical schools’ curricula through medical education accreditation and national medical licensing examination. Despite this progressive evolution in Korean medical education, we contend that it faces two major challenges in order to advance to the next level. First, Korean medical education should identify its own problems in medical education and iteratively develop educational solutions within its own socio-cultural context. Secondly, to raise reflective doctors who have scientific knowledge and professional commitment to deal with different types of medical problems within a continuum from well-defined to ill-defined, medical education should develop innovative ways to provide students with a balanced spectrum of clinical problems, including uncertain, ill-defined problems.

Is a medical humanities test needed in the National Medical Licensing Examination of Korea? Opinions of medical students and physician writers (secondary publication).

The purpose of this study was to examine the opinions of medical students and physician writers regarding the medical humanities as a subject and its inclusion in the medical school curriculum. Furthermore, we addressed whether an assessment test should be added to the National Medical Licensing Examination of Korea (KMLE). A total of 192 medical students at Inha University and 39 physician writers registered with the Korean Association of Physician Essayists and the Korean Association of Physician Poets participated in this study. They were asked to answer a series of questionnaires. Most medical students (59%) and all physician writers (100%) answered that the medical humanities should be included in the medical school curriculum to train good physicians. They thought that the KMLE did not currently include an assessment of the medical humanities (medical students 69%, physician writers 69%). Most physician writers (87%; Likert scale, 4.38±0.78) felt that an assessment of the medical humanities should be included in the KMLE. Half of the medical students (51%; Likert scale, 2.51±1.17) were against including it in the KMLE, which they would have to pass after several years of study. For the preferred field of assessment, medical ethics was the most commonly endorsed subject (medical students 59%, physician writers 39%). The most frequently preferred evaluation method was via an interview (medical students 45%, physician writers 33%). In terms of the assessment of the medical humanities and the addition of this subject to the KMLE, an interview-based evaluation should be developed.

Major Reforms and Issues of the Medical Licensing Examination Systems in Korea

Since the establishment of the national medical licensing examination board in 1992, the medical licensing examination system has changed enormously and this has had a number of impacts on examination services. All those reforms were aimed at improving the relevance and reliability of the test. Several attempts of the testing system have appeared in the new examination service, and which have also brought about the changes in the medical school curriculum such as introducing integrated courses instead of traditional subjects, using test scores as a reference to the post-graduation selection test. Some examples of changes in the examination system are as follows: 1) choosing three integrated test subjects and outlines of their reference content instead of 15 academic subjects, 2) adjusting the ratio of multiple choice question items to focus more on the problem solving level, 3) introduction of ‘one-best answer’ single set and ‘extended matching type items, 4) item construction based on real clinical cases and real clinical materials. Recently, a clinical skill test system has been introduced to measure examinees’ basic clinical skills competencies. Despite continuing efforts, the examination system still has many issues remaining to be solved. These problems include the differential weighting of test items, appropriate threshold for passing, and practicality of pre-testing to stabilize the passing rate and avoid the hazards of newness and undesirably difficult test items.

The integration process of North Korean defector physicians into the South Korean medical system

Physicians who have defected from North Korea and settled in South Korea (North Korean defector physicians, NKDPs) have experienced hardship in the occupational integration process due to their low socio-economic status, lack of information, and differences in medicosocial cultures, English-based medical terminology, and the clinical knowledge gap between North and South Korea. Here, we review the relevant literature on the credentialing process for former Soviet physicians in Israel. We present empirical findings regarding the ongoing educational experience of NKDPs preparing for the Korean national medical licensing examination. The approval process from the National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board for NKDPs to sit for the national medical licensing examination under the current licensing system needs more objective credentialing criteria. Systematic and sustained supportive plans are needed for educating NKPDs to prepare for the licensing examination. Securing additional internships and residencies is needed for further sustained training of NKDPs after certification. A continuing medical education program can address the needs of those who have not completed a residency program for primary care and improve quality of care. We hope more extensive discussion will take place on the credentialing and integration of NKPDs following a policy of engagement from the perspective of human resource building and partnership for unification of the medical system between South and North Korea.

North Korean defectors seeking health certification to take the national medical licensing examination in the Republic of Korea: figures and procedures

In May 2011, the Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea (Korea) announced that 21,165 defectors from Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) had settled in Korea. Since healthcare workers are counted among these defectors, it is necessary to provide them with a pathway to certification to work in Korea. This report summarizes the vetting and approval process defectors from North Korea must pass through to be eligible to take the national medical licensing examination. Defectors must pass an oral test conducted by the National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board to be eligible to sit for the exam. From 2002 to August 2011, 41 North Korean defectors applied for the approval process to take the exam. Twenty-nine were approved (70.7%): 23 physicians, 1 dentist, 2 oriental medical doctor, 1 nurse, and 2 pharmacists. Out of 29 approved, 11 passed the licensing examination (39.3%). This report also highlights the difficulty in assessing North Korean defectors’ eligibility by oral test, and suggests that adequate competency should be emphasized to recognize their unique abilities as healthcare personnel.

Efforts towards setting questions on Kampo medicine for the National Medical Licensing Examination

Efforts towards setting questions on Kampo medicine for the National Medical Licensing Examination

Grades on the Second Medical Licensing Examination in Germany Before and After the Licensing Reform of 2002

When the German national medical licensing regulations were changed in 2002, the second part of the medical licensing examination was supplemented with a practical component and expanded from one day to two. The aim of this study was to assess the written and oral-practical examination grades before and after the licensing reform. We compared the results that were obtained on the oral and written components of the second part of the national medical licensing examination under the old and new regulations (M2o and M2n, respectively) by a total of 2056 students at the Technical University (TUM) and Ludwig-Maximilian University (LMU) medical schools, both in Munich, from the spring of 2004 to the spring of 2008. We assessed the grades themselves as well as the correlation between the grades on the oral and written components before and after the reform. Grades on the written component of the examination did not differ to any statistically significant extent before and after the reform (TUM: M2o 2.91+/-0.92, M2n 2.91+/-0.87. LMU: M2o 2.94+/-0.85, M2n 2.78+/-0.873). There was, however, a significant change in the oral examination grades (TUM: M2o 1.89+/-0.81, M2n 2.22+/-0.96; p<0.001. LMU: M2o 1.94+/-0.86, M2n 2.09+/-0.93, p<0.001). Additional analysis of the grades obtained before and after the reform reveals a significantly increased concordance between grades on the oral and written components of the examination.

A Survey on the Introduction of Medical Humanities and Sociology into the National Medical Licensing Examination

Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the current situation of Medical Humanities and Sociology-related-curriculum in Korean medical schools, and suggesting the courses of study for the contents and methods of the Medical Humanities and Sociology examination, which can be included in the National Examination for Medical Practitioners. Methods: We analyzed Medical Humanities and Sociology-related courses which are offered in Korean medical schools, and a survey was conducted by medical school professors and students and medical journalists. In the survey, the Medical Humanities and Sociology-related courses were divided into 8 parts, and the participants were asked to evaluate the importance of duty, necessity of education, necessity of evaluation and the evaluation method of each part using a seven-point scale. Results: A total of 207 medical school professors and students and 9 medical journalists participated in the survey. The results were similar for the importance of duty and necessity of education of each part, but those for the necessity of evaluation were different. - As a result, there seems to be a gap between the importance of duty and the importance of education of each course. Medical journalists and students group answered differently on the necessity of evaluation of each course was also reserved. Conclusion: It is necessarily recommended to include Medical Humanities and Sociology-related courses such as medical ethics, self-improvement and doctors’ social responsibilities in the National Examination for Medical Practitioners.

Clinical Skills Assessment in Korean Medical Licensing Examination

In addition to the traditional MCQ test, National Medical Licensing Examination Board(NMLEB) will introduce clinical skills assessment as an independent exam for MD qualification in 2009. The clinical skills test will evaluate six procedural skills and six clinical problems by using OSCE and CPX. The validity and reliability of the test should be established by continuing effort from experts and efficient administration. The test may change the curriculum of clinical education in many medical schools. National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board(NHPLEB) is required to prepare this exam step by step and maintain the quality of the skills exam. There should be opportunity for medical students to participate in clinical practice during bedside teaching. Collaboration between exam institution and medical schools will be needed for a successful launching of the skills test.

The need for national medical licensing examination in Saudi Arabia.

BackgroundMedical education in Saudi Arabia is facing multiple challenges, including the rapid increase in the number of medical schools over a short period of time, the influx of foreign medical graduates to work in Saudi Arabia, the award of scholarships to hundreds of students to study medicine in various countries, and the absence of published national guidelines for minimal acceptable competencies of a medical graduate.DiscussionWe are arguing for the need for a Saudi national medical licensing examination that consists of two parts: Part I (Written) which tests the basic science and clinical knowledge and Part II (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) which tests the clinical skills and attitudes. We propose this examination to be mandated as a licensure requirement for practicing medicine in Saudi Arabia.ConclusionThe driving and hindering forces as well as the strengths and weaknesses of implementing the licensing examination are discussed in details in this debate.

Reconsidering the Cut Score of Korean National Medical Licensing Examination

After briefly reviewing theories of standard setting we analyzed the problems of the current cut scores. Then, we reported the results of need assessment on the standard setting among medical educators and psychometricians. Analyses of the standard setting methods of developed countries were reported as well. Based on these findings, we suggested the Bookmark and the modified Angoff methods as alternative methods for setting standard. Possible problems and challenges were discussed when these methods were applied to the National Medical Licensing Examination.

A Pychometric Approach to Setting a Passing Score on Korean National Medical Licensing Examination

A Pychometric Approach to Setting a Passing Score on Korean National Medical Licensing Examination

A Pychometric Approach to Setting a Passing Score on Korean National Medical Licensing Examination

National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board (hereafter NHPLEB) has used 60% correct responses of overall tests and 40% correct responses of each subject area test as a criterion to give physician licenses to satisfactory candidates. The 60%-40% criterion seems reasonable to laypersons without pychometric or measurement knowledge, but it may causes several severe problems on pychometrician's perspective. This paper pointed out several problematic cases that can be encountered by using the 60%-40% criterion, and provided several pychometric alternatives that could overcome these problems. A fairly new approach, named Bookmark standard setting method, was introduced and explained in detail as an example. This paper concluded with five considerations when the NHPLEB decides to adopt a pychometric standard setting approach to set a cutscore for a licensure test like medical licensing examination.

National Medical Licensing Examination

National Medical Licensing Examination

Split Administration of the 54 th National Medical Licensing Examination

Split Administration of the 54 th National Medical Licensing Examination

Present Status and Problems of the National Medical Licensing Examination

Present Status and Problems of the National Medical Licensing Examination

Analysis of Korean National Medical Licensing Examination Question Items of 1992~1993 on their Levels of Cognitive Domain, Types of Multiple Choice Questions and the Contents of Medical Knowledge Tested

Analysis of Korean National Medical Licensing Examination Question Items of 1992~1993 on their Levels of Cognitive Domain, Types of Multiple Choice Questions and the Contents of Medical Knowledge Tested

Brief History of National Medical Licensing Examination System

Brief History of National Medical Licensing Examination System

Educational Implication of the 58th Korean national Medical Licensing Examination in 1995

Educational Implication of the 58th Korean national Medical Licensing Examination in 1995