UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta's seriousness in building quality medical education is not only expressed through the fulfilment of institutional requirements and the provision of facilities and infrastructure; it is also demonstrated through investment in the quality of its human resources.

This commitment was realized through the Problem Based Learning (PBL) Tutor and Basic Clinical Skills (Keterampilan Klinis Dasar/KKD) Instructor Workshop, organized by the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Medical Study Program on Thursday (9/7/2026) to Friday (10/7/2026) at the Faculty of Medicine. The event featured a team from the Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), as the accompanying university, and was attended by all lecturers and laboratory technicians of the Medical Study Program.

The workshop forms part of a strategic stage in ensuring that all teaching staff share a common understanding of the learning system to be applied to the first cohort of students. More than technical training, the activity is directed toward building a learning paradigm that positions students as active learners, while lecturers serve as facilitators who guide the process of clinical thinking, the formation of professionalism, and sound decision-making.

The Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Institutional Development of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Prof. Dr. Istiningsih, expressed her appreciation to the Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Diponegoro for the guidance provided since the preparatory process for the establishment of the Medical Study Program through to the stage of commencement of academic activities.

“We are now entering the preparation stage for lectures in the Odd Semester of Academic Year 2026/2027. The first-wave selection of Medical Study Program students has already been conducted, with a quota of 50 students. What we are building is not only the first cohort, we are building the long-term credibility of medical education at UIN Sunan Kalijaga,” she said.

The quality of medical education, she argued, is determined from the very earliest stages, from student selection and lecturer readiness through to the learning system applied. Objectivity in student admissions and the conduct of academic processes therefore remains a principle that continues to be upheld as the foundation for producing professional and principled medical graduates.

Echoing this, the Head of the General Administration and Finance Bureau (AUK), Dr. Ali Sodiq, affirmed that the intensive guidance from the Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Diponegoro has provided an important foundation for UIN Sunan Kalijaga in building a quality medical education system.

“We are preparing the best doctors. That process begins with the readiness of our lecturers and administrative staff today. The knowledge and skills gained through this workshop are vital provisions in accompanying students throughout the educational process,” he said.

Over the two days of the workshop, lecturers and laboratory technicians of the Medical Study Program received comprehensive preparation on the key components of competency-based medical education. The sessions began with the strengthening of Problem Based Learning (PBL) implementation as the primary approach in medical education. Lecturers deepened their understanding of PBL philosophy, the seven-jump tutorial stages, the preparation of case scenarios (problem setting), and the application of team-based learning as a collaborative strategy to foster critical thinking, clinical reasoning, communication, and teamwork.

The workshop also strengthened lecturers' capacity as Basic Clinical Skills (KKD) instructors. Participants were equipped with techniques for demonstrating clinical procedures in the skills laboratory, guiding students in mastering skills progressively, and providing effective feedback so that the learning process proceeds safely, systematically, and in an orientation toward competency achievement.

Competency strengthening did not stop at the delivery of material. Through a series of simulation sessions, participants directly practiced their roles as PBL tutors and KKD instructors, learning to facilitate tutorial discussions, manage group dynamics, develop questions that promote students' clinical reasoning, guide clinical skills practice, and provide feedback objectively as occurs in medical education.

Assessment was also a key focus of the workshop. Participants were trained in preparing competency-based evaluation instruments, from developing blueprints and Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) items, to formulating Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) blueprints with their scoring rubrics, and understanding the principles of serving as an OSCE examiner who is objective, standardized, and capable of comprehensively measuring students' competency achievement. As a practical implementation, participants also prepared draft MCQ questions and OSCE stations ready for use in the learning evaluation process.

This series of workshop activities demonstrates the seriousness of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's efforts to make human resources one of the important pillars of the Medical Study Program. A lecturer is not only required to be capable of teaching; they must also design case-based learning experiences, facilitate student-centered learning, guide the mastery of clinical skills, and conduct assessments objectively in accordance with the standards of medical education.

Through the systematic strengthening of lecturer and laboratory technician capacity, UIN Sunan Kalijaga is building a robust academic foundation for the operation of the Medical Study Program, a strategic step toward creating a learning ecosystem capable of integrating the mastery of biomedical sciences, clinical reasoning, practical skills, professionalism, and medical ethics. The goal is to produce medical graduates who are adaptive to advances in knowledge and responsive to the needs of public health services. (humassk)