Tekian Ara, Boulet John
Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 South Wood Street (MC 591), Chicago, IL, 60612-7309, USA.
Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
BMC Med Educ. 2015 Nov 5;15:200. doi: 10.1186/s12909-015-0482-3.
While international physician migration has been studied extensively, more focused and regional explorations are not commonplace. In many Arab countries, medical education is conducted in English and students/graduates seek postgraduate opportunities in other countries such as the United States (US). Eligibility for residency training in the US requires certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). This study investigates ECFMG application trends, examination performance, and US physician practice data to quantify the abilities and examine the career pathways of Arab-trained physicians.
Medical students and graduates from 15 Arab countries where English is the language of medical school instruction were studied. The performances (1(st) attempt pass rates) of individuals on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1, Step 2CK (clinical knowledge), and and a combination of Step 2CS (clinical skills) and ECFMG CSA (clinical skills assessment) were tallied and contrasted by country. Based on physician practice data, the contribution of Arab-trained physicians to the US healthcare workforce was explored. Descriptive statistics (means, frequencies) were used to summarize the collected data.
Between 1998 and 2012, there has been an increase in the number of Arab trained students/graduates seeking ECFMG certification. Examination performance varied considerably across countries, suggesting differences in the quality of medical education programs in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Based on current US practice data, physicians from some Arab countries who seek postgraduate opportunities in the US are less likely to stay in the US following specialty training.
Countries, or regions, with concerns about physician migration, physican performance, or the pedagogical quality of their training programs should conduct longitudinal research studies to help inform medical education policies.
虽然国际医生移民现象已得到广泛研究，但更具针对性的地区性研究并不常见。在许多阿拉伯国家，医学教育采用英语进行，学生或毕业生会寻求在美国等其他国家的研究生机会。在美国获得住院医师培训资格需要外国医学毕业生教育委员会（ECFMG）的认证。本研究调查了ECFMG的申请趋势、考试成绩以及美国医生执业数据，以量化阿拉伯地区培养的医生的能力，并研究他们的职业发展路径。
对15个以英语作为医学院校教学语言的阿拉伯国家的医学生和毕业生进行了研究。统计并对比了各国人员在美国医师执照考试第一步、第二步临床知识（Step 2CK）以及第二步临床技能（Step 2CS）与ECFMG临床技能评估（CSA）综合考试中的表现（首次通过率）。基于医生执业数据，探讨了阿拉伯地区培养的医生对美国医疗劳动力的贡献。使用描述性统计（均值、频率）对收集的数据进行总结。
1998年至2012年间，寻求ECFMG认证的阿拉伯地区培养的学生/毕业生数量有所增加。各国的考试成绩差异很大，这表明东地中海地区医学教育项目的质量存在差异。根据美国目前的执业数据，一些在美国寻求研究生机会的阿拉伯国家医生在完成专科培训后留在美国的可能性较小。
对医生移民、医生表现或其培训项目教学质量存在担忧的国家或地区，应开展纵向研究，以辅助制定医学教育政策。
