We congratulate Dr Ariffin on passing the MRCGP[INT] Brunei examination. She identifies the problems of an international assessment in family medicine; although there is a universal core to the specialty there are important differences between countries in patient's expectations of their doctor, communication styles, and ethical issues, such as consent and confidentiality, and the legislative framework of health and social care.1
We would like to take this opportunity to respond to the issues that she has raised and to clarify the purpose of the assessment.
We collaborate with local examination boards to develop an assessment that we accredit as being of equal rigour to the MRCGP UK examination.
Rather than being a generic international examination, each MRCGP International exam is set locally to reflect the particular epidemiology, population needs, culture, and healthcare system of that country. Our aim in doing this is to assist that country in strengthening both the role of family medicine within it and also local ‘continuing medical education’ institutions. Successful candidates become international members of the College.2
The purpose of the examination differs between countries; in Oman, Brunei, Kuwait, Egypt, and Malta it is an end-point assessment of vocational training. Additionally in Brunei the examination may be taken by candidates who have either worked or trained in family medicine elsewhere.
In Dubai, where many family medicine doctors are graduates from countries without postgraduate training schemes in family medicine, it offers an opportunity to demonstrate the quality of their work and further their career.3
The South Asia examination is a consortium representing India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Preference is given to family doctors across South Asia, as well as expatriate South Asian doctors working in neighbouring countries who intend to return to work in the South Asia region.4
Dr Ariffin highlights the challenge of taking the examination in regions where family medicine is undeveloped and there is little provision of vocational training or continuing medical education in family medicine. For many candidates the MRCGP[INT] examination has acted as a stimulus for learning where one did not exist before. Success often comes after a long period of self-directed preparation and international membership enables the College to support these outstanding colleagues in their continuing professional development.
Notes
Competing interests
All authors are members of the MRCGP International Board and have been employed by the RCGP when acting as International Development Advisors and Examination Development Assessors.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2012