Expert assessment of the requirements for assigning qualification grades to physicians

Abstract

Shortcomings of the categorization system include weakness of the normative regulation oriented towards the outdated ideas about the qualification and formal features of professional development. It is often proposed to objectify measuring the professional competence of the subjects evaluated in order to improve the categorization system. The study was aimed to test the qualification requirements of physicians for the relationship with their qualification and the possibility of accurate full-fledged measurement of those in the evaluated subjects. We performed expert assessment of 22 requirements for grades approved by the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated 31 August 2023 No. 458n relative to four items: their relationship with the physician’s qualification, feasibility of measurement (usability), relationship with the competence of the evaluation commission member (objectivity), possibility of determining the extent of the knowledge, abilities, skills required for each qualification grade. Assessment involving the use of the Stapel rating scale (“–5” to “+5”) was performed by seven experts. The sums of scores by items were as follows: relationship with qualification — 477, usability — 316, objectivity — ‒662, grade — –699. There are significant differences between the scores reported for all the requirements and pairs of all items (р ≤ 0.0001), except the objectivity–grade pair (р = 0.103). The total of the scores reported for the majority of requirements is negative due to the lowest possible scores of objectivity and grade. The experts believe that none of the qualification requirements approved by the Order enables accurate full-fledged determination of physician’s qualification during evaluation.