The performance of foreign medical graduates on the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) standardized patient examination prototype: a collaborative study of the NBME and the educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to explore foreign medical graduates' (FMGs) performance on a clinical skills (SPX) examination. The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) is in the process of developing an SPX for potential use in the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) is developing the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) as an additional requirement for FMGs who wish to be certified by ECFMG. DESIGN: Thirty-three FMGs and 151 United States medical students (USMSs) took the SPX during the winter of 1996 as part of the ongoing pilot studies conducted by the NBME. Four clinical skill areas were assessed: history-taking, physical examination, communication and interpersonal skills. The examination used in this research consisted of 12 cases. The examination utilizes standardized patients (SPs) who are trained to document examinee behaviours and evaluate the communication component of the test. The SPs were also trained to evaluate the English proficiency of the candidates. Candidates were also administered the Test of Spoken English developed by the Educational Testing Services (ETS). SETTING: The examination was conducted in one medical school which served as an SPX centre for NBME pilot studies. SUBJECTS: Thirty-three foreign medical students and 151 US medical students. RESULTS: The indications were that the majority of candidates in both groups felt the examination was moderately fair but 78% of FMGs felt moderately pressed for time, vs. 80% of the USMSs who did not feel pressed for time. Reliabilities obtained for the various SPX components were somewhat higher for the FMGs reflecting the heterogeneity of this group. CONCLUSIONS: The NBME-ECFMG collaborative study yielded important information regarding the NBME SPX prototype as a performance measure for FMGs.     

卫生事业管理专业毕业生跟踪调查分析

通过对卫生事业管理专业毕业生情况的调查，了解社会对毕业生的需求情况以及卫生管理专业毕业生应具有的知识、能力、素质，为卫生事业管理专业学生的教育培养提供依据，使培养的人才更加适应卫生事业发展的需要。     

Clinical attachments: fond farewell or new beginning? A survey of the attitudes and practice of medical consultants and international medical graduates

Objectives

To analyse the experience of clinical attachment (CA) of international medical graduates (IMGs) and consultants.

Design

Analysis of questionnaires and CVs.

Setting and participants

573 IMGs applying for a house officer post and 102 consultant physicians working in North East England.

Results

IMGs had spent a mean of 16 months unemployed, of which 3.8 months was spent on CAs. The median number of CAs was two and the average number of applications sent before obtaining a CA was 73. 90% of IMGs found their CA helpful and 57% would not take up a post without a CA first. Criticisms related to lack of responsibility, isolation and poor job prospects. 90% would apply for honorary posts if advertised. 73% had received induction at the onset of placement, but only 32% had been assessed at the end. 50% of consultants took CAs and only 4% were thinking of stopping doing so. Those without CAs blamed work pressure (43%) and pressure from their employer (23%).

Conclusions

There are deficiencies in pastoral care, the application process and assessment, but CAs are valued by IMGs and offered by half the consultants surveyed. New immigration rules will mean fewer IMGs will come to the UK, but CAs will be needed by those that do, as well by refugees and European Economic Area (EEA) graduates. The tradition of CAs for international graduates could be used to accommodate those coming to the UK on exchanges and scholarships and form part of the recently announced Medical Training Initiative for IMGs.     

护理本科毕业生胜任力测评工具的研究现状

护理本科毕业生胜任力测评工具有助于评价高等护理教育质量,培养和辨识护理人才。本文综述了国内外护理本科毕业生胜任力测评工具的发展、质量及使用特点,以期为护理管理者和教育者有效使用测评工具提供参考。     

新疆公立医院对护理毕业生需求行为的影响因素分析

目的：了解影响新疆公立医院选拔录用护理专业学生的主要因素并对护理专业毕业生专业水平能力进行评价。方法对新疆部分公立医院382名护理部主任、护士长和护理部管理干部等进行问卷调查,用Epidate3．0进行数据录入,采用 SPSS16．0软件数据处理,选择向前逐步回归法对有关因素进行非条件 logistic 回归分析。结果思想道德修养、学历及毕业院校等变量分别被选入回归模型。毕业生的心理素质、思想道德修养、面试综合表现、专业知识操作技能是影响医院对护理毕业需求行为的重要因素。毕业护生专业水平能力主要为临床工作能力、心理素质、评判性思维及创新能力。结论新疆公立医院对毕业生“临床工作能力”的要求也越来越高。     

生物医学类硕士研究生基础实验教学课教学内容设置的改进

生命科学是建立在实验基础上的学科,实验教学在生物医学类硕士研究生的培养中具有十分重要的作用。有针对性地设置基础实验教学内容,既能让硕士研究生打下坚实的实验基础,同时又能促其紧跟生物科学发展的前沿。将生物医学类硕士研究生的基础实验教学内容统一设置为分子生物学实验、蛋白质组学实验、生物信息学实验和大型仪器设备使用四大类：每大类实验教学又分别设置验证性实验、综合性实验和自主研究性实验三小类项目。通过提高大型仪器设备的开放程度,改进教学手段,完善硕士研究生基础实验课的考核评价方式等;培养其实验技能、研究和创新能力,从而提高实验教学质量。     

地方医学院校毕业生质量评价指标体系研究

高校毕业生质量评价指标体系的构建,是强化高校教育质量全面监控的一项重要措施.对于地方医学院校而言,开展毕业生质量评价指标体系的研究,从中寻找到高等教育改革和就业指导服务工作中的薄弱环节并加以改进,有助于实现人才培养、社会需求与就业的良性互动,更好地促进地方医药卫生事业的发展。