31 July 2025
Sunaryo S.Kom
USU Faculty of Pharmacy Public Relations — The Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), has reaffirmed its commitment to quality professional education by organizing the Indonesian Pharmacist Professional Program Competency Exam (UKMPPAI) using the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) method. The event was held over three days, from July 19 to 21, 2025, at the USU Faculty of Pharmacy, Medan.
UKMPPAI is a mandatory national exam for all students in the Pharmacist Professional Program in Indonesia, required to obtain a professional degree and license. For this implementation, the OSCE method was applied— a practical-based assessment evaluating clinical competencies, communication skills, technical proficiency, and decision-making in pharmacy practice through a series of simulated testing stations.
Participants underwent multiple stations simulating real-world pharmaceutical service scenarios, such as patient communication, prescription handling, drug information services, and medical device counseling. Each station was designed to objectively and uniformly test students' professional skills.
The event involved dozens of professional pharmacy students from the 2024/2025 cohort as examinees, along with examiners, supervisors, and organizing teams from the Faculty of Pharmacy. Representatives from the national UKMPPAI committee were also present to supervise and ensure compliance with national standards.
All exam sessions took place at USU's Faculty of Pharmacy, using designated OSCE rooms, laboratories, and simulation classrooms adapted to meet national standards. The sessions were conducted daily from 08:00 to 17:00 WIB.
The use of the OSCE method in UKMPPAI is crucial as a strategic tool to ensure the quality of pharmacy graduates on a national level. This direct, practice-based evaluation method not only tests cognitive skills but also assesses professional attitudes and technical abilities required in real-world pharmaceutical services.
Each participant completed a series of OSCE stations within a set time limit. Assessors scored using standardized rubrics provided by the National UKMPPAI Committee. The objective assessments ensure the final results accurately reflect students' real capabilities in delivering pharmacy care.
This initiative aligns with two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
SDG 4: Quality Education – through an objective, measurable, and comprehensive assessment system in professional pharmacy education.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – by preparing pharmacists who are ready to serve the public with science-based and ethical healthcare services.
The Faculty of Pharmacy at USU hopes that the implementation of UKMPPAI is not merely an assessment tool for graduation but also a formative step in shaping pharmacists who are competent, communicative, and accountable for public health.
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