Sana'a: The Medical Council on Sunday organized the first meeting of the leadership of the Ministries of Health and Environment, and Education and Scientific Research, along with the presidents and deans of universities and medical colleges, to discuss aligning academic exams with professional practice standards.
According to Yemen News Agency, the meeting reviewed the results of the unified exam and analyzed graduate performance in competency tests, as well as the ECFMG standards for developing medical practice exams. Participants also reviewed the standards for developing competency exams for general and clinical pharmacy, and for medical laboratory science and nursing, in accordance with international standards. They discussed aligning academic exams with medical practice standards within a phased national framework to ensure quality outcomes and professional competence.
At the meeting, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Abdulsalam Hashoul emphasized the importance of discussing the challenges facing medical education to ensure high-quality outcomes, stressing that medical education is a fundamental pillar in nation-building. He stated, "Health education leads to successful medicine, and everyone is interdependent," emphasizing the need for concerted efforts to achieve the desired goals in serving education and medicine in Yemen, especially given the circumstances Yemen is facing due to the aggression and blockade.
He added, "Thanks to God, the wise leadership, and enlightened minds, Yemen has been able to overcome various challenges and keep pace with scientific advancements in the medical and educational fields." He expressed hope that the meeting would yield results that benefit society and patients.
For his part, Minister of Health and Environment Dr. Ali Shaiban reiterated the importance of strengthening integration between the Ministries of Health and Education and Scientific Research to improve the state of medical and health education, enhance its outcomes, and unify academic and professional standards to guarantee patient safety. The meeting was considered a continuation of previous meetings between the health and education sectors, emphasizing the importance of integrating efforts to unify curricula and study plans based on national standards in medical colleges, ensuring their practical application.
The Minister of Health stressed the necessity of continuous monitoring and evaluation of students during and after their studies to guarantee the quality of graduates and their ability to serve the community. For his part, the Minister of Education and Scientific Research, Hassan Al-Sa'adi, affirmed the need to amend and develop curricula, work mechanisms, and all aspects related to education to better serve the community.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration between the Ministries of Education and Health and the Medical Council to achieve satisfactory results and to address the shortcomings in medical and health education in the country realistically. Minister al-Sa'adi reiterated the commitment to reforming and overcoming the deficiencies that have plagued medical education in the past, aiming to produce tangible and applicable outcomes. He commended the Medical Council's efforts in organizing the meeting, unifying curricula and examinations, and establishing a unified question bank.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Medical Council, Dr. Abdulkarim Shaiban, pointed to the importance of developing a clear roadmap for the future of medical and vocational education in Yemen. He stated that the Medical Council's shared objective is to ensure patient safety through the quality of medical outcomes, which can only be achieved through an integrated partnership between the licensing and accreditation authority and the education and training authority.
Dr. Shaiban emphasized that the first steps of reform begin within the examination halls by updating university assessment methods to align with professional competency standards and the standardized OSCE exam. He pointed out that linking professional licensing to the quality of outcomes is not an option but a lifeline to ensure the continued international recognition of medical degrees and to protect the reputation of Yemeni physicians both domestically and internationally.
He noted the Council's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Ministries of Health and Education, university presidents, and deans of medical colleges to develop a shared national question bank based on international quality standards and to implement rigorous clinical training protocols that guarantee equal opportunities for students in teaching hospitals.