To be a health professional, it is mandatory to face an extensive path of at least six years of basic training. But graduating from university does not mean that it is the end of the preparation because it can also be extended. In the case of those who wish to become specialists, they must pass the National Examination of Applicants for Medical Residencies (ENARM). It is a tough test but it is not enough to get a good score because the competition is quite strong and that is why in recent years there has been an important increase in seats.
In that sense, upon obtaining the title of general practitioner you can work professionally. Many choose this path and their work is just as important as that of the specialists. In fact, knowing a little about everything is just as complicated as focusing on one area.
Similarly, there is also the alternative of taking courses, seminars or a master’s degree. The objective is to continue with the preparation and thus be able to aspire to better jobs. In addition, it is also an ideal option for those who aspire to obtain managerial positions in hospitals.
Although the truth is that a large part of the doctors who complete their basic training each year prefer to present the ENARM. The desire to be a specialist generates that they focus all their efforts on this test that consists of a summary of everything seen during the university.
A Brief History of the Most Complex Examination Physicians Face
The ENARM was applied for the first time in 1977 and since then it has been an instrument for measuring knowledge in general medicine. The body that regulates and administers it is the Interinstitutional Commission for the Training of Human Resources for Health (CIFRHS).
Within its history, the biggest change occurred in 2008 when for the first time it was carried out in electronic format and has been carried out that way ever since. It now consists of 450 questions, of which 400 correspond to clinical cases in the medical area presented in Spanish, while the remaining 50 are in English.
Every year an important operation is deployed to guarantee the safety of the applicants and of the test in general. The problem is that illegal acts have been reported on more than one occasion. The most common is related to sale of reagents.
Number of seats is still insufficient
Although in recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of places offered by the ENARM, the figure is still not enough. The problem is that the increase is not proportional to the interest it generates among applicants.
In that vein, until 2019 only two out of 10 young people obtained a place. With this, it is understood why there is a serious deficit of specialists in Mexico. Although there are many interested, most are rejected because the places are quite limited.
For its part, the 2020 edition was historic because for the first time the spaces were doubled. At first it was favorable news but in the end the disappointment remained because even this has not been enough. Now four out of 10 applicants achieve their goal, which means that the majority are still rejected.
While the most recent increase in the number of places occurred in the ENARM 2021. At first it was said that there would be 30 thousand spaces but it was not fulfilled. When making a sum of the different phases, it is obtained that there were 19 thousand 263.
Now the most important thing is to wait to find out what will happen in this year’s edition. For now, we share with you a graphic from the editorial team of salutary which shows the increase in the number of places in the ENARM During the last years.