Finnish language proficiency of immigrant physicians in medical licensure examinations
Tervola, M.; Pajunen, A.; Vainio, S.; Honko, M.; Mattila, K.
Duodecim; laaketieteellinen aikakauskirja 131(4): 339-346
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-7183 PMID: 26237924 Document Number: 681075
Physicians immigrating to Finland from countries outside the EU/EEA must pass a language test and three medical licensure examinations (MLE) in Finnish. Failing rates are high and remarkably variable. MLE examination papers were analyzed with linguistic criteria: writing skills and word frequency. Results of the linguistic analyses were compared with the MLE scores. Better results in writing skills analysis correlate with higher scores in MLE. Also a higher portion of rare words correlates with higher scores in MLE. The mandatory language test does not serve as a valid measurement tool for immigrant physicians.