The clinical skills assessment for international medical graduates in The Netherlands

Abstract

Aim: A need was felt to improve the quality of admission and licensing procedures for international medical graduates in The Netherlands.

Method: A clinical skills assessment was designed as part of a new procedure to realize a high-stakes, fair, transparent, and a time-limited path of admission for international medical graduates to the Dutch health care system. Additionally, it should provide a well-founded advice about length and content of additional medical training, should this be indicated by the outcome of the assessment.

Results: The clinical skills assessment procedure was developed as a Dutch variant of the “Step 2 Clinical Skills examination” of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) in collaboration with the United States National Board of Medical Examiners, which has a well-documented validity and reliability. The experience with the new procedure is yet limited, but enough to warrant a report.

Discussion: Worldwide, a number of countries have developed such high-stake assessment procedures, but they show little uniformity and transparency. By describing the design and development of our procedure, we do not pretend to set a standard, but we hope to contribute to more fair, accurate and uniform approaches for doctors moving from one country to another.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marye J. Sonderen

MARYE SONDEREN is a resident in the Internal Medicine. Before her residency she coordinated the development of the clinical skills assessment.

Eddie Denessen

EDDIE DENESSEN is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Sciences and member of the Behavioural Science Institute at Radboud University Nijmegen. His research interests include culture differences in education, teacher beliefs and teaching behaviour, assessment of teaching, research methods, and psychometrics.

Olle Th.J. Ten Cate

OLLE TH. TEN CATE is professor of Medical Education and director of the Center of Research & Development of Education, UMC Utrecht School of Medical Sciences.

Ted A.W. Splinter

T. SPLINTER is a medical oncologist, professor of medical education and chairman of the project group for the assessment of international medical graduates

Cornelis T. Postma

CORNELIS T. POSTMA is associate professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine of the University of Nijmegen Medical Centre. His main medical education interests are in the training of practical medical education and medical competence and in the field of clinical assessment.