The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan has issued an official statement denying rumors that have spread on social media about medical school graduates failing their exams en masse, reports infohub.kz.
In a press release, the ministry noted that in recent days, posts have appeared on social media from individual residency graduates who expressed disagreement with the results of the second stage of the final certification. The ministry categorically denied the information about a ‘mass failure’.
An analysis of the final certification results showed that 96.5% of graduates successfully passed the second stage. The exam procedure, content of assignments, and grading system fully complied with the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A total of 3,684 residency graduates took part in the second stage, of whom 3,540 (96.5%) confirmed their qualifications. The threshold level was not overcome by 134 graduates (3.5%), and the average score was 80.7 points.
The ministry emphasized that residency is a long-term practical training (2 to 4 years of study), and the high pass rate proves the quality of training in Kazakhstani medical universities and clinical bases, comparable to international standards. For comparison, in the UK, the success rate for final exams among residency graduates is approximately 60–65%.
A separate review was also conducted of complaints about the quality of assignments in the state language. It was established that the materials were developed and underwent independent substantive and linguistic expertise. No instances of literal translation without adaptation were found.
An analysis of the information system showed that most graduates who did not reach the threshold level did not use the full 90 minutes allotted for the exam. A significant portion finished much earlier, without taking the opportunity to check their answers and analyze clinical situations.
During the exam, each graduate could file an appeal against specific assignments through the information system. All received appeals are being considered by the Republican Appeals Commission in accordance with established procedures.
The Ministry of Health stated that it is open to constructive dialogue and ready to consider each appeal in accordance with the law. The ministry emphasized that the final certification is not a formality but a necessary procedure, since tomorrow the graduates will independently make clinical decisions, diagnose, prescribe treatment, and bear responsibility for people's lives and health. Patients must be confident in the qualifications of a specialist who has received a certificate.