Practice analysis of junior doctors in Ethiopia: implications for strengthening medical education, practice and regulation

BACKGROUND: A high performing physician workforce is critical to attain nationally set health sector goals. Ethiopia has expanded training of medical doctors. However, little is known about junior doctors’ performance. Understanding medical practice is essential to inform medical education and practice, establish licensure examination and guide workforce management decisions. We conducted a practice analysis study to identify gaps in Ethiopian medical education and practice, and to determine composition of subjects in national licensing examination. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with national representative sample of junior doctors. After calculating a sample size of 198, we used a two-stage stratified cluster sampling method to select study participants. We collected data using a structured questionnaire comprising 222 tasks. Study participants reported in interviews on frequency of, competence at, and importance of doing each task for improved health outcome. We developed proportions, averages, graphs and tables. Using the results of practice analysis and experts’ ratings, relative weights of subjects in the national licensing examination for medical undergraduates were determined. RESULTS: A total of 191 junior doctors participated. Most were males (74.6%) and had less than 2 years of experience (69.8%). Junior doctors frequently performed tasks of internal medicine and pediatrics. Their participation in obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, psychiatry and dentistry services was infrequent. Junior doctors had competency gaps to conduct clinical procedures, research and health programming tasks. Practice analysis results and expert ratings generated comparable recommendations for composition of a national licensing examination, with more than three-quarters of the items focusing on internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and public health. CONCLUSION: Junior doctors in Ethiopia rarely managed psychiatry, ophthalmology and dental patients. They had competence gaps in clinical procedures, research and health programming skills. The findings have implications for establishing licensing examination, and reviewing curriculum, continuing professional development, placement and rotation policy, and distribution of responsibilities.