Corrections in Minutes, Secure Exams: Behind the Scenes of the Digital Medical Entrance Exam

The medical entrance exam? A stress test for students, and now for servers too. Until 2015, taking the Épreuves Classantes Nationales (ECN) was a real obstacle course. The 9,000 candidates from France's 37 medical faculties had to travel to seven inter-regional centers to take two days of MCQ-type tests. After the exam, the papers were transported under escort to be corrected by hand, a process that took several weeks. An interminable wait for the students, whose professional future depends on their ranking.

The arrival of digital technology has turned this ritual on its head. In 2015, the Centre National de Gestion (CNG), in charge of organizing the ECN, entrusted Inetum with the project of transforming this exam into a 100% computerized test. A first in France. “We were asked to switch from a paper-based exam to a reliable digital platform, capable of simultaneously managing thousands of students in real time. An unprecedented technical and organizational challenge,” explained Frédéric Walczak, Engagement Manager at Inetum and project manager for this transformation.

The challenge was considerable: the first computerized ECNI session was scheduled for June 2016, and the first large-scale national test took place in December 2015. In just a few months, the Inetum team at first four people, then ten, developed a robust, secure and intuitive platform. “We knew there was no room for error. For three days, whatever happened, the application had to work without a hitch.” Frédéric Walczak.

The Digitized Medical Entrance Examination: a Meticulous Procedure 

The system is based on a secure web application. On launch day, students log on to iPads provided by their faculties. A centralized system enables the jury to launch the tests simultaneously on all sites, and to close them after three hours - all synchronized. Everything begins on Monday morning with a compulsory technical test to check connections and avoid any problems before the tests. In the afternoon, the subjects are pre-downloaded onto the tablets, but remain inaccessible until the official launch, guaranteeing maximum security. Once the test is over, the answers are instantly analyzed and corrected, putting an end to the long weeks of waiting that used to exist.

To ensure that the competition runs smoothly, Inetum designed a national supervision interface. This allowed jury members to check each student's connection status and percentage of progress, and even to intervene in the event of a technical problem. “We can see in real time if a student has lost his connection and give him extra time, or detect an anomaly on a tablet and suggest a solution immediately,” explained Frédéric Walczak.

The digitization of the ECN has also introduced new interactive tests: progressive clinical files, where each question unlocks the next, critical readings of scientific articles, and MCQs with medical images that students can zoom in on with their screens, a breakthrough impossible on paper.

A Technical Team Mobilized throughout the Exam Period

During the first few months, the interface was optimized: back-up protocols were put in place to anticipate network failures, and a technical team was set up to intervene in real time during the exams. “During the exams, our team was mobilized from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., ready to react to the slightest incident,” explained the project manager.

The evolution of the project did not stop there. In 2021, Inetum and the CNG launched a new reform with the introduction of Épreuves Dématérialisées Nationales (EDN) and Examens Cliniques Objectifs Structurés (ECOS), which now assess the practical skills of future doctors in addition to their theoretical knowledge. “We have designed a platform where students are confronted with real-life situations, judged by medical examiners. It's a revolution in medical training.” Frédéric Walczak.

Security and Fraud Prevention

Such a digital tool also raises the question of security and fraud. Inetum has set up a sophisticated traceability system that records every student action. “If a candidate claims to have answered a question correctly, but has in fact changed his or her answer afterwards, we can check this instantly,” explained Frédéric Walczak.

Attempted fraud is also detected by analyzing server logs. “We've already detected students trying to access answers by typing URLs such as ‘correction.php’ - They were quickly summoned by the jury!” He recounted.

Finally, the platform operates in “kiosk” mode, preventing any exit from the application or connection to the Internet. “The tablets are locked, and the network used is ultra-secure. Any attempt at intrusion is immediately blocked,” assured the expert.

A Model for the Future 

Eight years after its introduction, the digitization of medical entrance examinations has proved a success. Not only has the switch to digital technology reduced marking time from several weeks to just a few minutes, it has also improved fairness between candidates and facilitated test supervision.

Inetum has no intention of stopping there. In 2024, a matching algorithm has been deployed to allocate internship positions based on students' results and skills. “We've designed an application that optimizes the allocation of future doctors by combining their preferences and the needs of hospitals. This is a major step forward for the healthcare system,” emphasized Frédéric Walczak.

Other innovations are in the pipeline, including an application to help medical couples obtain compatible postings. Because if technology has revolutionized examinations, it could soon change the way young doctors see their professional and personal future too.

Contact : Frédéric Walczak