Unofficial translation
Footnote. The title is in the wording of the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after its first official publication).
Under sub-paragraph 41) of Article 7 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”, I HEREBY ORDER:
Footnote. The preamble - as revised by order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan № 43 of 28.06.2024 (shall come into effect upon expiry of ten calendar days after the day of its first official publication).1. To approve the attached Rules for the validation of continuous professional development outcomes, assignment and confirmation of qualification level of healthcare system personnel.
Footnote. Paragraph 1 is in the wording of the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after its first official publication).2. The Department of science and human resources of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to ensure:
1) state registration of this order in the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
2) posting this order on the Internet resource of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan after its official publication;
3) within ten working days after the state registration of this order in the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan, submission of information to the Legal Department of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan on implementation of the measures provided for in subparagraphs 1) and 2) of this paragraph.
3. The supervising vice minister of health of the Republic of Kazakhstan is authorized to control the execution of this order.
4. This order comes into effect upon the expiration of ten calendar days after the day of its first official publication.
|
Minister of health of the Republic of Kazakhstan |
A. Tsoi |
AGREED
Minister of labor and social protection
of the Republic of Kazakhstan
"____"________________2020
| Appendix to the order Minister of health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated December 20, 2020 № ҚР ДСМ-283/2020 |
Rules for Confirming the Results of Continuous Professional Development, Assignment and Confirmation of the Qualification Level of Healthcare Workers
Footnote. The Rules as revised by order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 16.07.2025 № 66 (shall come into effect upon expiry of ten calendar days after the day of its first official publication).
Chapter 1. General provisions
1. These Rules for Confirming the Results of Continuous Professional Development, Assignment and Confirmation of the Qualification Level of Healthcare Workers (hereinafter referred to as the Rules) have been drawn up under subparagraph 41) of Article 7 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System” (hereinafter - the Code) and establish the procedure for confirming the results of continuous professional development, awarding and confirming the level of qualification of healthcare workers who have technical and vocational, post-secondary, higher, postgraduate education in “Healthcare” field of training.
2. The results of continuous professional development (hereinafter – CPD) of healthcare system personnel shall be confirmed by the human resources management service and the head of the healthcare organisation, or by an individual engaged in private medical practice and pharmaceutical activities, in accordance with the criteria for the validation of continuous professional development outcomes, assignment and confirmation of qualification level of healthcare system personnel as provided in Appendix 1 to these Rules.
Footnote. Paragraph 2 is in the wording of the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after the date of its first official publication).
3. The following concepts are used in these Rules:
1) an accredited evaluation institution is an institution accredited by the authorized body of healthcare, evaluating the knowledge and skills of students and professional preparedness of graduates of educational programmes, specialists in the field of healthcare;
2) a credit unit in the system of continuous professional development of healthcare workers (hereinafter - CU) is a unified conventional unit of measurement of the volume of participation of a specialist in activities that contribute to continuous professional development for a certain period of professional activity;
3) a healthcare worker is an individual who has professional medical education and is engaged in healthcare activities;
4) additional education of healthcare workers (hereinafter - additional education refers to the process of training undertaken to meet the educational needs of healthcare personnel to maintain, expand, deepen and improve professional knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as to master new (additional) competencies;
4-1) healthcare organization means a legal entity carrying out activities in the healthcare sector;
5) professional qualification is a degree of professional training characterizing the possession of competences required to perform labor functions in a profession;
6) professional standard is a written official document establishing general requirements for knowledge, skills, abilities, work experience with regard to formal and (or) non-formal and (or) informal education, level of qualification and competence, content, quality and conditions of labor in a specific area of professional activity;
7) sectoral qualifications framework (hereinafter – SQF) is a document developed on the basis of the National Classifier of Occupations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the national qualifications framework and classifying in the sector the requirements for qualification of a specialist by levels depending on the complexity of the work performed and the nature of knowledge, skills and competences used in the sector;
8) non-formal education is a type of education planned, organized and implemented by entities that offer educational services rendered without regard to the venue, timing and form of education, and accompanied by the issuance of a document confirming the results of studies.
Footnote. Paragraph 3 as amended by the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after the date of its first official publication).
4. The results of the CPD of healthcare workers shall be documents certifying the results of additional, non-formal education, additional competences and other professional development activities, with due regard to the requirements under paragraph 3 of Article 269 of the Code.
The results of the CPD of health professionals shall be validated for the certification of health professionals under Article 27 of the Code.
5. The assignment or confirmation of a qualification level, in accordance with the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for Healthcare, to healthcare system personnel holding an education qualification in the field of study “Healthcare” shall be carried out on the basis of the results of an assessment of professional competence issued by an accredited assessment organization, in accordance with the procedure established by Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 11 December 2020 “On Approval of the Rules for the Assessment of Knowledge and Skills of Learners, the Assessment of Professional Competence of Graduates of Educational Programmes in Healthcare, and Healthcare Professionals” (registered in the Register of state registration of regulatory legal acts under No. 21763), subject to compliance with the prescribed timeframes and the principle of sequential progression through qualification levels.
Medical and pharmaceutical professionals, as well as specialists of the sanitary and epidemiological service, upon obtaining an opinion issued by an accredited assessment organization, shall, within the framework of the following public services: “Issuance of a specialist certificate for admission to clinical practice”, “Issuance of a foreign specialist certificate for admission to clinical practice”, “Issuance of a specialist certificate in the field of sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population”, and “Issuance of a specialist certificate in the field of circulation of medicines and medical devices”, obtain or confirm a specialist certificate in the relevant specialty (specialization), taking into account the qualification level awarded or confirmed, in accordance with the procedure established by Order No. ҚР ДСМ-274/2020 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 15 December 2020 “On Approval of the Rules for Certification of Healthcare Specialists, Confirmation of the Validity of a Healthcare Specialist Certificate, Including Foreign Specialists, as well as the Conditions for Admission to Certification of a Healthcare Specialist Who Has Obtained Medical and/or Pharmaceutical Education Outside the Republic of Kazakhstan” (registered in the Register of state registration of regulatory legal acts under No. 21818).
Footnote. Paragraph 5 is in the wording of the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after its first official publication).
Chapter 2. Procedure for confirming the results of continuous professional development of healthcare workers
6. The results of CPD of healthcare system personnel accumulated during the preceding five-year period shall be validated by the head of the healthcare organization or by an individual engaged in private medical practice and pharmaceutical activities.
Footnote. Paragraph 6 is in the wording of the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after its first official publication).
7. Healthcare system personnel who possess documentary evidence of CPD outcomes that meet the criteria for the validation of CPD outcomes of healthcare system personnel set out in Appendix 1 to these Rules shall submit the supporting documents to the human resources management unit at their principal place of employment.
Individuals engaged in private medical practice and pharmaceutical activities who possess documentary evidence of CPD outcomes that meet the criteria for the validation of CPD outcomes of healthcare system personnel set out in Appendix 1 to these Rules shall submit to an accredited assessment organization a confirmation of CPD outcomes of healthcare system personnel in the form prescribed in Appendix 2 to these Rules.
Documents issued in a foreign language shall be submitted together with a notarized translation into the Kazakh or Russian language.
Footnote. Paragraph 7 is in the wording of the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after its first official publication).
8. The human resources management unit and the head of the healthcare organization, or an individual engaged in private medical practice and pharmaceutical activities, shall award credit units (CUs) for each criterion of a CPD outcome.
Footnote. Paragraph 8 is in the wording of the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after the date of its first official publication).
9. The final outcome of the CPD shall be summarized by adding together the CU for additional education, non-formal education and additional competences.
Following the results of additional education (advanced training) CU shall be calculated for the last 5 years as per Chapter 1 of Appendix 1 hereto.
Based on the outcomes of non-formal education, the CU shall be calculated pursuant to Chapter 2 of Appendix 1 hereto, for additional competences - pursuant to Chapter 3 of Appendix 1 hereto.
10. The confirmed results of the CPD shall be drawn up in the form as set out in Appendix 2 hereto.
11. The grounds for refusal to confirm the results of the CPD shall be non-compliance of the documents certifying the results of the CPD with the requirements to the criteria.
Chapter 3. Procedure for awarding and confirming qualification levels
12. A healthcare worker applying for awarding or confirmation of the qualification level shall submit to the accredited organization for the assessment of CPD results according to paragraph 6 hereof.
To assign the next level of qualification to a healthcare worker it shall be essential to:
1) have education in the field of healthcare corresponding to the level of qualification, confirmed by a diploma of education;
2) A result of professional qualification assessment issued by an accredited assessment organization.
3) performance of work functions corresponding to the stated qualification level in accordance with the requirements of the professional standard, confirmed by a report from the electronic service registry or a report on professional activity signed by the head of the structural unit;
4) continuous professional development (CPD) outcomes that have been validated and certified by the human resources management unit and the head of the healthcare organization, or by an individual engaged in private medical practice and pharmaceutical activities.
Healthcare workers whose certificate of qualification category assignment expired after January 1, 2021, are eligible to receive the corresponding (equivalent) qualification level without undergoing the knowledge assessment stage and case testing (solving situational problems).
Footnote. Paragraph 12 as amended by the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after its first official publication).
13. To achieve the appropriate level of qualification, CPD activities shall be required, including additional, non-formal education and additional competences based on the criteria for confirming the results of continuous professional development of healthcare workers as per Appendix 3 hereto.
14. The total amount of continuing professional development activities for qualification levels shall not be less than 210 ЗЕ.
15. Additional and (or) non-formal education received by healthcare workers in foreign organizations included in three international academic rankings and among the first 250 (two hundred and fifty) positions of two or more of them (QS World University Rankings), (Academic Ranking of World Universities), rating of the best universities in the world according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings stipulated by order of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated June 12, 2023 № 268 “On Approval of the Rules for Recognition of Education Documents” (registered in the Register of State Registration of Regulatory Legal Acts under № 32800), shall be recognized as valid in the Republic of Kazakhstan upon presentation of the original document.
16. Healthcare professionals shall be assigned the initial or next level of qualification based on the result of the evaluation of professional preparedness, issued by an accredited evaluation entity in the manner prescribed by order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated December 11, 2020 № ҚР ДСМ-249/2020 “On Approval of the Rules for Evaluating the Knowledge and Skills of Students, Evaluating the Professional Preparation of Graduates of Educational Programmes in the Field of Public Health and Specialists in the Field of Public Health” (registered in the Register of State Registration of Regulatory Legal Acts under № 21763).
17. Initial qualification levels 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0 (I), 7.1 (R) shall be assigned to graduates of educational and scientific institutions in the field of public health in compliance with the SQF in the field of public health as per Appendix 4 hereto.
18. The level of qualification in a specialization shall be assigned within the framework of the major specialty, under order of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated November 30, 2020 № ҚР ДСМ-218/2020 “On Approval of the List of Specialties and Specializations Subject to Certification of Healthcare Professionals” (registered in the Register of State Registration of Regulatory Legal Acts under № 21699).
19. When assigning the next level of qualification, the sequence of qualification levels established by the SQF of the sphere “Public Health” shall be observed as per Appendix 5 hereto.
Healthcare professionals having indefinite certificates of category assignment shall reissue them for a certificate of a professional in a specialty with an appropriate level of qualification without undergoing assessment of professional preparedness.
Healthcare workers in the specialty of "Nursing" upon receiving post-secondary or higher medical education in the same specialty renew their specialist certificate while maintaining the qualification level of an equivalent qualification category, taking into account their previous work experience.
| Appendix 1 to the Rules for Confirming the Results of Continuous Professional Development, Assignment and Confirmation of the Qualification Level of Healthcare Workers |
Criteria for confirming the results of continuous professional development of healthcare workers
Footnote. The upper right corner of Appendix 1 is amended in the Kazakh language; the Russian text remains unchanged, in accordance with the Order No. 167 of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025 (shall enter in to force upon expiry of ten calendar days after its first official publication).
№ | Name of criterion | Requirement for criterion | Measuring unit | Supporting document |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Chapter 1. Additional education | ||||
1 | Additional education (advanced training cycle) | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty; in accordance with the level of the educational program; indication of the number of hours or credits | 1 hour = 1 credit unit | a copy of the certificate of completion of advanced training |
Chapter 2. Non-formal education | ||||
2 | Internship in the field of specialty | of regional, city, republican significance | 1 week = 10 credit units | a copy of the report on the implementation of the individual internship plan, information on the knowledge, skills and abilities acquired during the internship, a review by the head of the structural unit of the healthcare specialist based on the results of the internship |
of international significance | 1 week = 30 credit units | |||
3 | Participation in face-to-face training seminars, trainings, masterclasses | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty; indication of the number of hours or credits | 1 hour = 0,5 credit unit | a copy of the training certificate |
4 | Participation in webinars, online courses, and other educational events conducted using distance learning technologies | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty; indication of the number of hours or credits | 1 hour = 0,5 credit unit | a copy of the training certificate |
Chapter 3. Aditional competences | ||||
5 | Participation in the work of a meeting, congress, conference | of regional, city, significance | 1 day = 5 credit units; report = 10 credit units | a document of the participant and/or conference program indicating the full name of the speaker, topic, venue, organizer, date |
of republican significance | 1 day = 10 credit units; report = 50 credit units | |||
of international significance | day = 40 credit units; report = 100 credit units | |||
6 | Publication of a monograph, guidelines, methodological recommendations | in accordance with the profile of the claimed specialty; first author or mono-authorship | 1 monograph = 180 credit units; guidelines, methodological recommendations = 30 credit units | an electronic copy of a monograph, guidelines, methodological recommendations, first author |
7 |
Publication of a textbook (book) | in accordance with the profile of the claimed specialty; first author or mono-authorship | 1 textbook (book) = 180 credit units | an electronic copy of a published textbook (book) |
8 | Publication of a scientific article in periodicals included in the list of those recommended by the Quality Assurance Committee in Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan | in accordance with the profile of the claimed specialty; the first 3 authors | 1 article = 20 credit units | an electronic copy of a published article, first 3 authors |
9 | Publication of an article in national and foreign editions not included in the list recommended by the Quality Assurance Committee in Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. | in accordance with the profile of the claimed specialty; the first 3 authors | 1 article = 10 credit units | an electronic copy of a published article, first 3 authors |
10 | Publication of a scientific article in periodicals indexed in Scopus, WebofScience, Springer | in accordance with the profile of the claimed specialty | 1 article, journal quartile Q4 = 90 credits; 1 article, journal quartile Q3 = 120 credit units; 1 article, journal quartile Q2 = 150 credit units; 1 article, journal quartile Q1 = 180 credit units. | link to the published article in Scopus, Web of Science, Springer databases |
11 | Obtaining a patent | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty | 1 national level patent = 60 credit units; 1 foreign level patent = 180 credit units | patent copy |
12 | Obtaining an Intellectual Property Certificate of the Republic of Kazakhstan | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty | 1 certificate = 30 credit units | a copy of the intellectual property certificate |
13 | Tutoring, teaching activities | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty | within a year as a tutor or mentor for trainees of medical education organisations = 10 credit units | a copy of the order from the medical organization on the appointment as a tutor, and (or) a certificate of advanced training in tutoring and (or) mentoring |
14 | Tutoring for young and newly hired specialists | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty | within a year as a tutor = 10 credit units | a copy of the order on the appointment as a tutor |
15 | Introduction into practice of innovative scientific or practical methods of diagnostics, treatment, prevention of a disease | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty | 1 act of implementation = 60 credit units | an implementation report with the participation of the local health authority |
16 | Membership in a professional association | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty; at least 1 year with active membership at the time of confirmation | regional level = 10 credit units; national level = 30 credit units; international level = 60 credit units |
a copy of the document confirming membership |
17 | Membership in expert bodies | in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty; for 5 years with at least 1 year of active membership at the time of confirmation | national level = 90 credit units |
a copy of the document confirming an expert activity |
18 | Expert and/or coaching activities |
in accordance with the profile of the declared specialty; | 1 document = 10 credit units |
a copy of the document confirming expert and coaching activities |
19 | Participation in the development of regulatory legal and other regulatory acts |
In accordance with the profile of the declared specialty; | 1 document = 30 credit units | a copy of the order on the composition of the working group |
20 | Participation in the substantive or testing expertise of the examination material (test questions and clinical scenarios) of an accredited institution to evaluate the knowledge and skills of students, professional preparedness of graduates and health professionals | In accordance with the profile of the declared specialty | 50 test questions = 1 credit unit; 10 clinical scenarios = 1 credit unit | a copy of the act of examination of the examination material |
21 | Participation in the work of an independent expert commission for the purpose of establishing and confirming the existence (absence) of the fact of causing harm to a patient's life and health as a result of medical activities | In accordance with the profile of the declared specialty within 5 years at the time of confirmation | 1 document = 90 credit units | an extract from the minutes of the meeting of the independent expert commission on the participation of the expert and a copy of the order approving the composition of the independent expert commission |
| Appendix 2 to the Rules for the validation of continuous professional development outcomes and the assignment and confirmation of qualification level of healthcare system personnel |
|
| Form |
Validation of continuous professional development outcomes of healthcare system personnel
Footnote. Appendix 2 is in the wording of the Order of the Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 18.12.2025, No. 167 (shall enter into force upon expiry of ten calendar days after the date of its first official publication).
1. Surname, first name, patronymic (if any) __________________________________
2. Declared specialty _______________________________________________________
3. Total length of service in the healthcare system (years, months, days) ______________
4. Length of service in the declared specialty (years, months, days) __________________
5. Current place of employment ______________________________________________
6. Current position held ____________________________________________________
7. Employment history in the declared specialty
(as of the date of validation of continuous professional development outcomes for the declared specialty)
Date of hiring | Date of dismissal | Place of work | Position held | Order number | Date of order issue |
8. Sectoral qualifications framework level __________________________________
9. Qualification category (if any) __________________________________________
10. Postgraduate education (if any) ________________________________________
11. CPD outcomes ______________________________________________________
№ |
Criterion name | Result in credit units |
Chapter 1. Additional education | ||
1 | ||
Chapter 2. Non-formal education | ||
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | ||
5 | ||
Chapter 3. Additional competencies | ||
6 | ||
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | ||
10 | ||
11 | ||
12 | ||
13 | ||
14 | ||
15 | ||
16 | ||
17 | ||
18 | ||
19 | ||
20 | ||
21 | ||
Total results of the CPD: | ||
Head of the human resources management unit
(to be completed, if applicable) _____________________________________________________
surname, first name, patronymic (if any)
______________________________________
(signature) date of issue
Head of the healthcare organization /
individual engaged in private medical practice
and pharmaceutical activities _______________________________________________________
surname, first name, patronymic (if any)
______________________________________
(signature) date of issue
| Appendix 3 to the Rules for Confirming the Results of Continuous Professional Development, Assignment and Confirmation of the Qualification Level of Healthcare Workers |
Continuous professional development of healthcare workers
№ | Name of continuous professional development activity | ||||
1 | Levels of the sectoral | ||||
Qualification category | No qualification category | Second qualification category | First qualification category | Highest qualification category | |
2 | Total volume of continuous professional development activities (sum of credit units of additional education, non-formal education and additional competencies) | - |
At least 210 credit units |
At least 210 credit units |
At least 210 credit units |
3 | Additional education | - | at least 150 credit units (hours) of advanced training at the basic or intermediate level | at least 120 credit units (hours) of advanced training at the intermediate or highest level | at least 60 credit units (hours) of advanced training at a highest or specialized level |
Non-formal education | - | at least 60 credit units | at least 90 credit units | at least 150 credit units | |
| Appendix 4 to the Rules for Confirming the Results of Continuous Professional Development, Assignment and Confirmation of the Qualification Level of Healthcare Workers |
Initial qualification levels
SQF qualification level | Level of education in the healthcare sector |
4.0 | technical and vocational education |
5.0 | post-secondary education (applied bachelor's degree) |
6.0 | higher education (academic bachelor's degree) |
7.0 (I) | Postgraduate education (master's degree based on a completed bachelor's programme) and/or practical work experience; or higher basic medical education (internship) and/or continuing integrated medical education |
7.1 (R) | postgraduate education (residency) certification course (for specialisation*) |
8 | PhD doctoral studies, PhD degree, (Candidate of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences) or higher medical education and managerial experience in the sector. |
| Appendix 5 to the Rules for Confirming the Results of Continuous Professional Development, Assignment and Confirmation of the Qualification Level of Healthcare Workers |
Ordinary qualification levels
Level of education in the healthcare sector | SQF qualification level | Qualification category | Availability of continuous work experience in the declared specialty and (or) specialization from the date of obtaining the previous level of qualification |
Technical and vocational education | 4.1 | second | at least 5 years |
4.2 | first | at least 4 years | |
4.3 | highest | at least 3 years | |
Post-secondary education (applied bachelor's degree) | 5.1 | second | at least 5 years |
5.2 | first | at least 4 years | |
5.3 | highest | at least 3 years | |
Higher education (academic bachelor's degree) | 6.1 | second | at least 5 years |
6.2 | first | at least 4 years | |
6.3 | highest | at least 3 years | |
Basic medical education (internship) | 7.1(I) | second | at least 5 years |
7.2(I) | first | at least 4 years | |
7.3(I) | highest | at least 3 years | |
Postgraduate education (clinical residency, retraining, residency) | 7.2(R) | second | at least 5 years |
7.3(R) | first | at least 4 years | |
7.4(R) | highest | at least 3 years | |
Degree of Candidate of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences, PhD | 8 |