Improving the Certification of Medical Specialists in Mexico: A Case Study of Otorhinolaryngology

• In Event: 52.074 - Important Issues in Medical Licensure and Certification

Abstract

The certification of specialists in Mexico started formally 51 years ago, but the quality and validity of the process has been heterogeneous for a variety of reasons. The Mexican Board of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery was created in 1970, and recently decided to improve the quality of its exam development and analysis processes, and migrate to a criterion-based exam using standard setting methodology. This paper describes a two-year change process using Downing’s 12 steps for test development model, the political, educational and cultural issues that emerged, and provides some lessons for developing countries’ certification bodies in the health sciences.

Authors

• Melchor Sanchez-Mendiola, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

• Laura Delgado-Maldonado, Instituto Nacional para la Evaluacion de la Educacion