{"title":"Halted medical education and medical residents' training in Korea, journal metrics, and appreciation to reviewers and volunteers.","authors":"Sun Huh","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"22 ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142980326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Presidential address 2025: expansion of computer-based testing from 12 to 27 health professions by 2027 and adoption of a large language model for item generation.","authors":"Hyunjoo Pai","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.7","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"22 ","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143013023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Masoud Dauda, Swabaha A Yusuph, Harouni Yasini, Issa Mmbaga, Perpetua Mwambinngu, Hansol Park, Gyeongbae Seo, Kyoung Kyun Oh
{"title":"Empirical effect of the Dr Lee Jong-wook Fellowship Program to empower sustainable change for the health workforce in Tanzania: a mixed-methods study.","authors":"Masoud Dauda, Swabaha A Yusuph, Harouni Yasini, Issa Mmbaga, Perpetua Mwambinngu, Hansol Park, Gyeongbae Seo, Kyoung Kyun Oh","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study evaluated the Dr Lee Jong-wook Fellowship Program's impact on Tanzania's health workforce, focusing on relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability in addressing healthcare gaps.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-methods research design was employed. Data were collected from 97 out of 140 alumni through an online survey, 35 in-depth interviews, and one focus group discussion. The study was conducted from November to December 2023 and included alumni from 2009 to 2022. Measurement instruments included structured questionnaires for quantitative data and semi-structured guides for qualitative data. Quantitative analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics (Spearman's rank correlation, non-parametric tests) using Python ver. 3.11.0 and Stata ver. 14.0. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze qualitative data using NVivo ver. 12.0.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings indicated high relevance (mean=91.6, standard deviation [SD]=8.6), effectiveness (mean=86.1, SD=11.2), efficiency (mean=82.7, SD=10.2), and impact (mean=87.7, SD=9.9), with improved skills, confidence, and institutional service quality. However, sustainability had a lower score (mean=58.0, SD=11.1), reflecting challenges in follow-up support and resource allocation. Effectiveness strongly correlated with impact (ρ=0.746, P<0.001). The qualitative findings revealed that participants valued tailored training but highlighted barriers, such as language challenges and insufficient practical components. Alumni-led initiatives contributed to knowledge sharing, but limited resources constrained sustainability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Fellowship Program enhanced Tanzania's health workforce capacity, but it requires localized curricula and strengthened alumni networks for sustainability. These findings provide actionable insights for improving similar programs globally, confirming the hypothesis that tailored training positively influences workforce and institutional outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"22 ","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143013022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Empathy and tolerance of ambiguity in medical students and doctors participating in art-based observational training at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands: a before-and-after study.","authors":"Stella Anna Bult, Thomas van Gulik","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This research presents an experimental study using validated questionnaires to quantitatively assess the outcomes of art-based observational training in medical students, residents, and specialists. The study tested the hypothesis that art-based observational training would lead to measurable effects on judgement skills (tolerance of ambiguity) and empathy in medical students and doctors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An experimental cohort study with pre- and post-intervention assessments was conducted using validated questionnaires and qualitative evaluation forms to examine the outcomes of art-based observational training in medical students and doctors. Between December 2023 and June 2024, 15 art courses were conducted in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Participants were assessed on empathy using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and tolerance of ambiguity using the Tolerance of Ambiguity in Medical Students and Doctors scale (TAMSAD).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 91 participants were included; 29 participants completed the JSE and 62 completed the TAMSAD scales. The results showed statistically significant post-test increases for mean JSE and TAMSAD scores (3.71 points for the JSE, ranging from 20 to 140, and 1.86 points for the TAMSAD, ranging from 0 to 100). The qualitative findings were predominantly positive.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results suggest that incorporating art-based observational training in medical education improves empathy and tolerance of ambiguity. This study highlights the importance of art-based observational training in medical education in the professional development of medical students and doctors.</p>","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"22 ","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142980319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wei Jin Wong, Shaun Wen Huey Lee, Ronald Fook Seng Lee
{"title":"Pharmacy students' perspective on remote flipped classrooms in Malaysia: a qualitative study.","authors":"Wei Jin Wong, Shaun Wen Huey Lee, Ronald Fook Seng Lee","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2025.22.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to explore pharmacy students' perceptions of remote flipped classrooms in Malaysia, focusing on their learning experiences and identifying areas for potential improvement to inform future educational strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative approach was employed, utilizing inductive thematic analysis. Twenty Bachelor of Pharmacy students (18 women, 2 men; age range, 19-24 years) from Monash University participated in 8 focus group discussions over 2 rounds during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (2020-2021). Participants were recruited via convenience sampling. The focus group discussions, led by experienced academics, were conducted in English via Zoom, recorded, and transcribed for analysis using NVivo. Themes were identified through emergent coding and iterative discussions to ensure thematic saturation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five major themes emerged: flexibility, communication, technological challenges, skill-based learning challenges, and time-based effects. Students appreciated the flexibility of accessing and reviewing pre-class materials at their convenience. Increased engagement through anonymous question submission was noted, yet communication difficulties and lack of non-verbal cues in remote workshops were significant drawbacks. Technological issues, such as internet connectivity problems, hindered learning, especially during assessments. Skill-based learning faced challenges in remote settings, including lab activities and clinical examinations. Additionally, prolonged remote learning led to feelings of isolation, fatigue, and a desire to return to in-person interactions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Remote flipped classrooms offer flexibility and engagement benefits but present notable challenges related to communication, technology, and skill-based learning. To improve remote education, institutions should integrate robust technological support, enhance communication strategies, and incorporate virtual simulations for practical skills. Balancing asynchronous and synchronous methods while addressing academic success and socioemotional wellness is essential for effective remote learning environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"22 ","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142980335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The irtQ R package: a user-friendly tool for item response theory-based test data analysis and calibration.","authors":"Hwanggyu Lim,Kyung Seok Kang","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.23","url":null,"abstract":"Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) has become a widely adopted test design for high-stakes licensing and certification exams, particularly in the health professions in the United States, due to its ability to tailor test difficulty in real time, reducing testing time while providing precise ability estimates. A key component of CAT is item response theory (IRT), which facilitates the dynamic selection of items based on examinees' ability levels during a test. Accurate estimation of item and ability parameters is essential for successful CAT implementation, necessitating convenient and reliable software to ensure precise parameter estimation. This paper introduces the irtQ R package, which simplifies IRT-based analysis and item calibration under unidimensional IRT models. While it does not directly simulate CAT, it provides essential tools to support CAT development, including parameter estimation using marginal maximum likelihood estimation via the expectation-maximization algorithm, pretest item calibration through fixed item parameter calibration and fixed ability parameter calibration methods, and examinee ability estimation. The package also enables users to compute item and test characteristic curves and information functions necessary for evaluating the psychometric properties of a test. This paper illustrates the key features of the irtQ package through examples using simulated datasets, demonstrating its utility in IRT applications such as test data analysis and ability scoring. By providing a user-friendly environment for IRT analysis, irtQ significantly enhances the capacity for efficient adaptive testing research and operations. Finally, the paper highlights additional core functionalities of irtQ, emphasizing its broader applicability to the development and operation of IRT-based assessments.","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"154 1","pages":"23"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142176646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Insights into undergraduate medical student selection tools: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Pin-Hsiang Huang,Arash Arianpoor,Silas Taylor,Jenzel Gonzales,Boaz Shulruf","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.22","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.22","url":null,"abstract":"PURPOSEEvaluating medical school selection tools is vital for evidence-based student selection. With previous reviews revealing knowledge gaps, this meta-analysis offers insights into the effectiveness of these selection tools.METHODSA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted applying the following criteria: peer-reviewed articles available in English, published from 2010 and which include empirical data linking performance in selection tools with assessment and dropout outcomes of undergraduate entry medical programs. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, general opinion pieces, or commentaries were excluded. Effect sizes (ESs) of the predictability of academic and clinical performance within and by the end of the medicine program were extracted, and the pooled ESs were presented.RESULTSSixty-seven out of 2,212 articles were included, which yielded 236 ESs. Previous academic achievement predicted medical program academic performance (Cohen's d=0.697 in early program; 0.619 in end of program) and clinical exams (0.545 in end of program). Within aptitude tests, verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning predicted academic achievement in the early program and in the last years (0.704 & 0.643, respectively). Overall aptitude tests predicted academic achievement in both the early and last years (0.550 & 0.371, respectively). Neither panel interviews, multiple mini-interviews, nor situational judgement tests (SJT) yielded statistically significant pooled ES.CONCLUSIONCurrent evidence suggests that learning outcomes are predicted by previous academic achievement and aptitude tests. The predictive value of SJT and topics such as selection algorithms, features of interview (e.g., content of the questions) and the way the interviewers' reports are used, warrant further research.","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"44 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142176647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Sohn, Sooyoun Kwon, Won Gyoung Kim, Kyung-Eun Lee, Sun-Young Lee, Seungmin Lee
{"title":"Importance, performance frequency, and predicted future importance of dietitians’ jobs by practicing dietitians in Korea: a survey study","authors":"C. Sohn, Sooyoun Kwon, Won Gyoung Kim, Kyung-Eun Lee, Sun-Young Lee, Seungmin Lee","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.1","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study aimed to explore the perceptions held by practicing dietitians of the importance of their tasks performed in current work environments, the frequency at which those tasks are performed, and predictions about the importance of those tasks in future work environments.Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study. An online survey was administered to 350 practicing dietitians. They were asked to assess the importance, performance frequency, and predicted changes in the importance of 27 tasks using a 5-point scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and the means of the variables were compared across categorized work environments using analysis of variance.Results: The importance scores of all surveyed tasks were higher than 3.0, except for the marketing management task. Self-development, nutrition education/counseling, menu planning, food safety management, and documentation/data management were all rated higher than 4.0. The highest performance frequency score was related to documentation/data management. The importance scores of all duties, except for professional development, differed significantly by workplace. As for predictions about the future importance of the tasks surveyed, dietitians responded that the importance of all 27 tasks would either remain at current levels or increase in the future.Conclusion: Twenty-seven tasks were confirmed to represent dietitians’ job functions in various workplaces. These tasks can be used to improve the test specifications of the Korean Dietitian Licensing Examination and the curriculum of dietetic education programs.","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"114 35","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2024-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139391119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The legality and appropriateness of keeping Korean Medical Licensing Examination items confidential: a comparative analysis and review of court rulings","authors":"Jae Sun Kim, Dae Un Hong, Ju Yoen Lee","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.28","DOIUrl":"10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.28","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines the legality and appropriateness of keeping the multiple-choice question items of the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE) confidential. Through an analysis of cases from the United States, Canada, and Australia, where medical licensing exams are conducted using item banks and computer-based testing, we found that exam items are kept confidential to ensure fairness and prevent cheating. In Korea, the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute (KHPLEI) has been disclosing KMLE questions despite concerns over exam integrity. Korean courts have consistently ruled that multiple-choice question items prepared by public institutions are non-public information under Article 9(1)(v) of the Korea Official Information Disclosure Act (KOIDA), which exempts disclosure if it significantly hinders the fairness of exams or research and development. The Constitutional Court of Korea has upheld this provision. Given the time and cost involved in developing high-quality items and the need to accurately assess examinees’ abilities, there are compelling reasons to keep KMLE items confidential. As a public institution responsible for selecting qualified medical practitioners, KHPLEI should establish its disclosure policy based on a balanced assessment of public interest, without influence from specific groups. We conclude that KMLE questions qualify as non-public information under KOIDA, and KHPLEI may choose to maintain their confidentiality to ensure exam fairness and efficiency.</p>","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"21 ","pages":"28"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11637596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Validation of the Blended Learning Usability Evaluation–Questionnaire (BLUE-Q) through an innovative Bayesian questionnaire validation approach","authors":"Anish Kumar Arora, Charo Rodriguez, Tamara Carver, Hao Zhang, Tibor Schuster","doi":"10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.31","DOIUrl":"10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.31","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The primary aim of this study is to validate the Blended Learning Usability Evaluation–Questionnaire (BLUE-Q) for use in the field of health professions education through a Bayesian approach. As Bayesian questionnaire validation remains elusive, a secondary aim of this article is to serve as a simplified tutorial for engaging in such validation practices in health professions education.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 10 health education-based experts in blended learning were recruited to participate in a 30-minute interviewer-administered survey. On a 5-point Likert scale, experts rated how well they perceived each item of the BLUE-Q to reflect its underlying usability domain (i.e., effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction, accessibility, organization, and learner experience). Ratings were descriptively analyzed and converted into beta prior distributions. Participants were also given the option to provide qualitative comments for each item.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After reviewing the computed expert prior distributions, 31 quantitative items were identified as having a probability of “low endorsement” and were thus removed from the questionnaire. Additionally, qualitative comments were used to revise the phrasing and order of items to ensure clarity and logical flow. The BLUE-Q’s final version comprises 23 Likert-scale items and 6 open-ended items.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Questionnaire validation can generally be a complex, time-consuming, and costly process, inhibiting many from engaging in proper validation practices. In this study, we demonstrate that a Bayesian questionnaire validation approach can be a simple, resource-efficient, yet rigorous solution to validating a tool for content and item-domain correlation through the elicitation of domain expert endorsement ratings.</p>","PeriodicalId":46098,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions","volume":"21 ","pages":"31"},"PeriodicalIF":9.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142591367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}