THE 8TH NATIONAL MEDICAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE

The 8th National Medical Education Conference took place over two days, November 15–16, 2024, providing an important forum for both national and international experts to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and discuss emerging trends in the field of medical education.

The University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP HCMC) was honored to contribute to the event by organizing a pre-conference session titled: "Enhancing Medical Education: Leveraging Item Banks to Improve Assessment Practices and Faculty Development."

This session featured leading experts in medical education from Vietnam and South Korea. Participating UMP HCMC faculty included:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vuong Thi Ngoc Lan – Vice Rector, UMP HCMC

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Minh Hong – Lecturer, Department of Pediatrics, UMP HCMC

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Khac Bao – Director, Center for Medical Education, UMP HCMC

• MSc. Doan Thi Thu Hoa – Head of Education Management Unit, Faculty of Medicine, UMP HCMC

From Yonsei University, the session welcomed experienced experts, including:

• Prof. An Shinki – Director, Institute for Global Engagement & Empowerment (IGEE), Yonsei University

• Dr. Oh Youkyoung – Yonsei University

• Prof. Yoo Tae Hyun – Yonsei University

• Prof. Choi Jin Young – Yonsei University

The 240-minute session featured a series of in-depth presentations, focusing on the following topics:

Session 1: Project Context and Rationale for the UMP-Yonsei Item Bank Prof. An Shinki outlined the strategic rationale and developmental background of the UMP-Yonsei Item Bank project, emphasizing its critical role in enhancing assessment in medical education.

Session 2: Developing a Test Blueprint for the Examination Item Bank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vuong Thi Ngoc Lan shared the process of constructing a test blueprint to align the item bank with educational objectives and expected learning outcomes.

Session 3: Analysis of the Medical Doctor Licensing Examination at UMP HCMC MSc. Doan Thi Thu Hoa and Dr. Oh Youkyoung presented an analysis of the examination results from both local and international perspectives, offering proposals for improvement to enhance training quality.

Session 4: Item Development and Review Process at UMP HCMC – Challenges, Solutions, and Future Plans Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Khac Bao discussed the procedures for item writing and validation at UMP HCMC, highlighting current challenges and outlining future directions.

Session 5: Standardizing Assessment – Experiences from Korea Prof. Yoo Tae Hyun and Prof. Choi Jin Young shared insights from national licensing examinations in Korea and offered practical lessons in implementing standardized assessment frameworks.

Session 6: Roundtable Discussion and Conclusion Speakers and participants engaged in an open discussion and Q&A session to address emerging questions and share diverse viewpoints.

This pre-conference session marked a successful collaboration between UMP HCMC and Yonsei University in developing an examination item bank tailored to the Vietnamese medical education context. Presenters shared valuable insights into building assessment systems aligned with international standards, with the aim of helping Vietnamese medical schools establish relevant and practical item banks. Emphasis was also placed on faculty development as a crucial component for the sustainability and effectiveness of item banks.

The session received highly positive feedback from participants, who appreciated the practical relevance and depth of the content, especially the balance between theoretical foundations and real-world application. The discussion segments opened new pathways for approaching assessment standardization in Vietnam's medical education system.

UMP HCMC's active presence at the 8th National Medical Education Conference once again reaffirmed its pioneering role in advancing medical education in Vietnam. The university remains committed to enhancing training quality, strengthening international cooperation, and contributing to the sustainable development of the healthcare sector.

Photos from the Conference:

Image 1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vuong Thi Ngoc Lan presenting on the development of the test blueprint at UMP HCMC.

Image 2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Khac Bao discussing challenges and solutions in implementing the item bank at UMP HCMC.

Image 3. Group photo of session chairs and presenters from Yonsei University (Korea) and UMP HCMC (Vietnam).