Enlightenment from the termination of United States Medical Licensing Examination Clinical Skills Test

doi:10.3760/cma.j.cn115259-20210902-01105

Abstract

Abstract: In January 2021, United States Medical Licensing Examination Clinical Skills test was terminated. The test has played a key role in the evaluation of physician' competence, and has been a model for medical examinations since its launch. Although difficulty caused by COVID-19 outbreak is the leading cause, the test has been fighting its way in terms of test cost, content validity, and effective feedback. Test termination policy will transfer burden of competence evaluation to medical schools and thus deeply affect medical education, will reduce the quality of licensure exam and licensed physicians, and will bring inconvenience to international medical personnel flow. The policy inspires us to fully understand the importance of clinical skill assessment and to improve competency evaluation in licensure exams, to pay more attention to social consequences of the test and to attach importance to the integration of validity evidence in the organization and implementation of examinations, to effectively play the role of examination feedback and cooperate with medical schools to enhance the ability of medical graduates.

Key words: United States Medical Licensing Examination, Clinical Skills Test termination, Enlightenment

CLC Number:

R-05

Feng Pan. Enlightenment from the termination of United States Medical Licensing Examination Clinical Skills Test[J]. Chinese Journal of Medical Education, 2022, 42(3): 285-288.

References

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