Design and implementation of a structured interview of Ph.D. entrance exam in medical sciences universities

In order to achieve the goals of the packages of reform and innovation in the medical science education, including the promotion of the system of evaluation and medical examinations, decentralization and fair implementation in the health education system, changing the process of holding the second stage of the entrance exam of Ph.D in medical universities was considered by the Secretariat of the Council for Education of Health and Basic Medical Sciences. In order to determine the framework for the implementation of the second phase of the Ph.D entrance exam (interview), the views of medical education faculty members and practitioners and responsible for holding examiners in the medical sciences universities were gathered during the sessions using panel experts' techniques. In the next stage, a structured test was designed by MMI method, interview team members were empowered. Then necessary activities were taken, including the creation of a portal for uploading volunteers' educational and research documents, the preparation of interview checklist as well as monitoring coordination sessions between executive universities. After determining the location of the interview and setting the time of performance, in order to admit of 953 students in 63 fields of study (174 educational groups), 3868 eligible candidates were introduced to universities for the interview. Interviews were held at 24 universities. To hold a structured interview 1800 professors participated.