How valid are standard self-assessment scales for international medical graduates?

摘要

In a recent article in Academic Medicine, Gozu et al concluded that international medical graduates (IMGs) are more likely to be less fatigued and have higher self-esteem and personal growth than U.S. medical graduates. They state that the self-assessment scales utilized in the study "have established validity evidence": the Iowa Fatigue Scale, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and Personal Growth Scale. However, we maintain that the cross-cultural validity of these scales for the extremely heterogeneous IMG group is questionable. Hence the data require cautious interpretation.