THE EVALUATION OF CHILEAN MEDICAL EDUCATORS' PERCEPTIONS ABOUT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL MEDICAL EXAMINATION IN CHILE

The present investigation was developed in response to criticisms about the quality of Chilean medical education evaluation procedures and in response to the suggested idea of developing a National Medical Examination (NME) in Chile. The study was designed to: (1) determine Chilean medical educators' support for the establishment of a NME; (2) explore medical educators' perceptions about the agency that should manage a NME, the areas that a NME should assess and the attitudes towards the current evaluation methods employed. This investigation was also designed to determine the factors that may have inhibited the development of a NME in Chile.;The target population for the qualitative study was 1,445 Chilean medical educators that hold professional rank, and 21 relevant key people from the Chilean medical education field and health care service. A stratified random sample on N = 291 medical educators was drawn from the official rosters of each school of medicine participating in the investigation. For the qualitative study a group of 35 experienced and knowledgeable medical educators constituted the sample.;For the quantitative study a Likert-type questionnaire was constructed comprising 25 items and four demographic-related items. For the collection of data in the qualitative study, interviews, observations and analysis of open-ended comments were carried out.;Based upon the results of the present investigation it can be concluded that: (1) Chilean medical educators of five out of six Chilean Universities that have medical schools are in favor of the establishment of a NME, but showed concern about who would design and administer the proposed NME; (2) there is a preference for the University being the agency to administer a NME; (3) the lack of leadership and interest on the part of the universities are the principal factors that may have inhibited the development of a NME; (4) faculty members appear to be open to further study and debate the issue of evaluation and a possible NME; (5) similar studies of the nature of the present investigation can be conducted among Chilean medical educators as it was indicated by the high return rate of the questionnaires (91%).;The methodology employed was a combination of descriptive quantitative study using a survey approach and a qualitative study based on a naturalistic approach.