Is it possible to introduce an interview to the Korean Medical Licensing Examination to assess professional attributes?: a survey-based observational study

• Published in: Journal of educational evaluation for health professions Vol. 19; p. 10
• Main Authors: Na, Seung-Joo, Roh, HyeRin, Chun, Kyung Hee, Park, Kyung Hye, Kim, Do-Hwan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute 2022; 한국보건의료인국가시험원
• Subjects: Cross-Sectional Studies; Education, Medical; Humans; Licensure; medical education; medical licensure; professional competence; professionalism; Republic of Korea; Surveys and Questionnaires; 교육학; Republic of Korea; Medical Education; Professional Competence; Medical licensure, Professionalism; Republic of Korea
• ISSN: 1975-5937; 1975-5937
• DOI: 10.3352/jeehp.2022.19.10

This study aimsed to gather opinions from medical educators on the possibility of introducing an interview to the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE) to assess professional attributes. Specifically following topics were dealt with: the appropriate timing and tool to assess unprofessional conduct; ; the possiblity of prevention of unprofessional conduct by introducing an interview to the KMLE; and the possibility of implementation of an interview to the KMLE..
A cross-sectional study approach based on a survey questionnaire was adopted. We analyzed 104 pieces of news about doctors' unprofessional conduct to determine the deficient professional attributes. We derived 24 items of unprofessional conduct and developed the questionnaire and surveyed 250 members of the Korean Society of Medical Education two times. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation analysis, and Fisher's exact test were applied to the responses. The answers to the open-ended questions were analyzed using conventional content analysis.
In the 1st survey, 49 members (19.6%) responded. Out of 49, 24 (49.5%) responded in the 2nd survey. To assess unprofessional conduct, there was no dominant timing among basic medical education (BME), KMLE, and continuing professional development (CPD). There was no overwhelming assessment tool among written examination, objective structured clinical examination, practice observation, and interview. Response rates of "Impossible" (49.0%) and "Possible" (42.9%) suggested an interview of KMLE prevented unprofessional conduct. In terms of implementation, "Impossible" (50.0%) was selected more often than "Possible" (33.3%).
Professional attributes should be assessed by various tools over the period from BME to CPD. Hence, it may be impossible to introduce an interview to assess professional attributes to theKMLE, and a system is needed such as self-regulation by the professional body rather than licensing examination.