Stakeholders' Views and Confidence Towards Indonesian Medical Doctor National Competency Examination: A Qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Workforce Quality Assurance
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Indonesia's diverse medical education landscape necessitates quality control for medical school graduates.
• The Indonesia Medical Doctor National Competency Examination (IMDNCE) was established to ensure graduate competency.
• No prior research explored stakeholder perceptions of the IMDNCE's impact in Indonesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate stakeholder perceptions of the Indonesia Medical Doctor National Competency Examination's (IMDNCE) impact on medical school graduates' clinical performance.
• To understand how various stakeholders view the role and effectiveness of the IMDNCE in Indonesia's healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed.
• Focus group discussions and interviews were conducted with diverse stakeholders, including consumer organizations, health coverage representatives, Ministry of Health officials, medical associations, employers, supervisors, and patients.
• Thematic analysis was used to analyze collected data.

Main Results:

• Ninety participants, including consumer representatives, health officials, employers, professionals, and patients, contributed to the study.
• Three key themes emerged: IMDNCE as a standardization effort for medical graduates, IMDNCE results reflecting medical education quality, and IMDNCE as a driver for improved health services.
• Stakeholders generally agreed on the IMDNCE's role in standardizing graduates.

Conclusions:

• Stakeholders perceive the IMDNCE as effective in standardizing medical school graduates across Indonesia.
• The IMDNCE requires further development to optimize its potential in enhancing the competencies of Indonesian medical students.
• Continuous improvement of the IMDNCE is crucial for advancing healthcare quality in Indonesia.