[A written clinical multiple choice test for certain groups of foreign physicians].

The Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, advises the health authorities with respect to judging the qualifications of foreign physicians applying for authorization in Norway. In 1988 the Faculty introduced a medical multiple choice test covering nine clinical subjects for physicians with a degree from countries outside Western Europe and USA/Canada. The authors present experiences from 123 examinations during the first four years the test was used. The mean percentage failure was 33, compared with five and six respectively in the control study among a random sample of Norwegian medical specialists and medical students in the final part of their studies. It is concluded that the constructed test fulfills its intention, namely to represent a reasonably fair and suitable method for judging clinical knowledge.