WORKSHOP ON “ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF ASSESSMENT ITEMS: FROM WRITING TO LEADERSHIP” – PREPARING FOR THE NATIONAL LICENSING MEDICAL EXAMINATION

On September 9, 2025, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP HCMC) hosted the workshop “Enhancing the Quality of Assessment Items: From Writing to Leadership” at Lecture Halls 3C and 3D, 15-floor Building. This event was part of a series of key activities to help Vietnamese medical schools prepare for the National Licensing Medical Examination, scheduled for 2027.

The engagement of leaders, faculty members, and international experts.

The workshop was held under the Medical Education for Future Project (MEF) funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in close partnership between UMP HCMC and Yonsei University, Korea. The event proudly welcomed Prof. Park Hoon-ki, President of the Korean Institute of Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE), along with distinguished Yonsei professors including Prof. An Shinki, Prof. Choi Jin-young, Prof. Kim Young-sam, and Prof. Yoo Tae-hyun. In addition, Mr. Jung Jaewoo, Deputy Director of KOICA Vietnam and Prof. Lee Min-Geol, Director of the MEF Office in Vietnam, also attended.

The workshop welcomed nearly 100 delegates, including leaders and faculty members from 11 medical schools in Southern Vietnam,such as Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tra Vinh University, Phan Chu Trinh University, Van Lang University, Nam Can Tho University, and several other health science institutions.

From UMP HCMC, Prof. Tran Diep Tuan – Chairman of the Board of Trustees,  Assoc. Prof. Vuong Thi Ngoc Lan – Vice President, Assoc. Prof. Le Khac Bao – Director of Center for Medical Education, Dr. Nguyen Duc Khanh – Deputy Director of Center for Medical Education, together with many other leaders and faculty members actively participated.

Figure 1: The delegates attending the conference

Comprehensive Content: From Theory to Practice

In the morning, lectures focused on test blueprint development, principles of high-quality item design, and item analysis for improvement of MCQ, presented by Assoc. Prof. Le Khac Bao, Prof. Choi Jin-young, and Dr. Nguyen Duc Khanh. These sessions provided participants with valuable insights and practical applications in multiple aspects of assessment, from building test blueprints to writing high-quality questions and improving item quality based on post-exam analysis. 

Figure 2: Prof. Tran Diep Tuan delivering the opening remarks

Figure 3: Prof. Park Hoon-ki delivering the opening remarks

Figure 4: Prof. Shinki An presenting on the MEF Project

Figure 5: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Khac Bao sharing on “Overview of UMP’s Test Blueprit for graduation examination and Item Development Process”

Figure 6: Prof. Choi Jin Young presenting the report “Key Principles for High-Quality Item Design”

Figure 7: Dr. Nguyen Đuc Khanh presenting the topic “Item Analysis and Improvement”

Figure 8: The delegates participating in the discussion

Figure 9: The delegates participating in the discussion

Figure 10: The delegates participating in the discussion

Figure 11: The delegates participating in the discussion

Figure 12: The experts responding to the delegates’ questions

Figure 13: The experts responding to the delegates’ questions

In the afternoon, the program was divided into two interactive groups:

• Leaders’ group: Focused on strategies for leadership and management in assessment, including training item-development experts, managing national item banks, and organizing mock national exams. Experts from Korea and UMP also shared critical considerations for developing high-quality and context-appropriate exam questions.

Figure 14: Prof. Kim Young-Sam presenting the topic “Leadership & Operational Strategies in Assessment”

Figure 15: The delegates practicing MCQ item review

Figure 16: The experts guiding the MCQ item review

Figure 17: The delegates and experts participating in the MCQ item review practice

• Faculty group: Engaged in hands-on practice of analyzing, writing, and improving test items, with direct feedback from both Korean and Vietnamese experts.

Figure 18: The delegates practicing MCQ writing

Figure 19: The experts guiding MCQ writing

A Mark of Success

The workshop concluded in a positive and enthusiastic atmosphere, receiving high recognition from participants for its scientific rigor, practical relevance, and applicability. Beyond being a platform for international experience-sharing, it served as an important milestone in preparing faculty and leaders of Vietnamese medical schools for the upcoming national licensing medical examination.

Figure 20: Overview of the conference opening session

Figure 21: Overview of the conference opening session

Figure 22: Overview of the conference opening session