MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Most Cuban trained doctors fail basic test to practice medicine in Chile

The best doctors in Chile come from the Catholic University

Almost 80% of Chilean doctors with overseas degrees failed in 2011 the mandatory National medical knowledge Test, Eunacom, demanded to practice medicine in the country or have work opportunities at the government national health scheme.

Of the 477 hopefuls with foreign degrees that took the Eunacom test 376 failed. Most of them did their medical training in Cuba. The average point for these doctors was 38.84, well below the minimum floor demanded.

“This group of doctors are not authorized to practice medicine in Chile and besides the test will now have to revalidate their degree at the University of Chile” said Beltran Mena head of the Eunacom tests.

Regarding Chilean residents, the number of failed tests was down which means that out of 1.888 candidates only 38 didn’t make it, which is an improvement from the 78 failed in 2010. The average points for this group were 74.05.

Of all Chilean medical schools represented in the tests, residents from the Universidad Mayor showed the best annual performance since the school jumped in the ranking from position seven to second. University of Chile climbed from position six to three, while the Catholic University once again held the first post.

At the opposite end those Chilean schools with the highest failure percentage belong to the Univsersidad del Mar, Católica de la Santísima Concepción and from Antofagasta.