Evaluation of the Chilean National Orthopaedic Examination Over 11 Years: Progress and Outcomes of National and International Examinees

Abstract

Introduction: The National Orthopaedics Examination (EMNOT) was initially designed for Chilean orthopaedic program graduates and is now a crucial component of the revalidation process for international orthopaedic surgeons seeking practice in Chile. This study aims to describe participation and performance of EMNOT examinees based on their origin and to analyze the difficulty and discrimination indexes during its first 11 years of implementation. Methods: A retrospective assessment was conducted on all EMNOT results from 2009 to 2019. The study evaluated the participation and performance of examinees according to their origin and examined the difficulty and discrimination indexes of the examination. Results: A total of 975 examinees were evaluated, with 41.23% from national resident programs (National Medical Graduates) and 58.77% from international examinees (International Medical Graduates). The number of participating universities increased from 4 in 2009 to 17 in 2019. National Medical Graduates examinees achieved a mean score of 66.52 ± 8.67 (0 to 100 points) while International Medical Graduates examinees scored 55.13 ± 11.42 (P < 0.001). The difficulty and discrimination indexes remained adequate throughout this period. Discussion: Over the course of 11 years, the number of EMNOT examinees exhibited notable growth. The examination effectively differentiates between candidates based on their origin and maintains appropriate levels of difficulty and discrimination.