Two accrediting agencies have been awarded Recognition Status by the World Federation of Medical Education – these agencies operate in China and Ireland. Both agencies have been recognised for the full term of 10 years.
Working Committee for the Accreditation of Medical Education, Ministry of Education (WCAME) – China
Medical Council of Ireland (MCI) – Ireland
The WFME is proud to share a video produced by ACGME International (ACGME-I) addressing physicians’ dedication during the global COVID-19 pandemic. When medical students graduate, they take an oath that is central to their professional commitment. This pledge is universal. It underscores the centrality of patient care to the profession of medicine, both in education and in practice. View the Physicians’ Pledge to Society video here.
ACGME-I provides accreditation services outside the United States. It is focused on improving the quality of health care specific to a country’s unique needs. Learn more about ACGME-I at www.acgme-i.org.
Violence against health care workers must stop. This resolution applies to all aspects of health care, including the critical component of educating our young medical professionals on this important issue. See Declaration by Health Care in Danger community on violence against health care workers.
Health care workers save lives. In collaboration with the leadership of the World Medical Association and the International Council of Nurses, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) published a Comment piece in The Lancet on May 20, 2020, entitled “Attacks Against Health-Care Personnel Must Stop, Especially as the World Fights COVID-19.”
As a signatory, WFME supports the G20 leaders #HealthyRecovery letter requesting that governments directly involve their medical and scientific community in the production of all economic stimulus packages, seek reports from them on the short- and long-term public health repercussions that these may have, and secure their stamp of approval as direct support for health professionals that take care of people when they are at their most vulnerable.
An important stimulus to the WFME Recognition of Accreditation Programme is the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) 2023 Accreditation Requirement
ECFMG announced on 13 May 2020 that its accreditation requirement, previously commencing in 2023, will now be implemented in 2024.
WFME welcomes this recognition that the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed or restricted the work of some accrediting agencies. Those that are not yet recognised by WFME are urged to apply for recognition soon. We are expecting increased applications for the recognition process once our service recommences. Application now will secure the first available place.
To date, 21 accrediting agencies have received WFME recognition, a further 13 are in progress and 8 more are soon to enter the process. Interested accrediting agencies are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure timely completion of the recognition process.
From ECFMG’s announcement:
“ECFMG previously announced that, starting in 2023, applicants for ECFMG Certification will be required to be a student or graduate of a medical school that is appropriately accredited. More specifically, the medical school must be accredited by an agency recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). … We are energized by the commitment to quality improvement demonstrated in response to this initiative.
At the same time, we recognize that many countries have been forced to suspend or limit their accreditation efforts due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). As such, we are moving the implementation of the requirement to 2024. We will announce an effective date as we approach 2024; we will also continue to reassess this timeline as needed.
Further details regarding this change will be provided in the coming weeks on our website at www.ecfmg.org/accreditation.”
Any accrediting agency that is planning to apply to WFME in the Recognition Programme does not need to delay. The administration of the Recognition of Accreditation Programme continues without interruption.
For the time being, site visits to accrediting agencies are not possible but will resume as soon as constraints on travel are relaxed. We are still accepting applications and processing them through the first stages so the visits can be made as soon as international travel is allowed.
WFME has recently received several enquiries about schools that have received accreditation by the German-based accrediting agency ASIIN. A misunderstanding was reported that the accreditation is equivalent to accreditation by an agency with WFME Recognition Status, and therefore satisfies the ECFMG 2023 Accreditation Requirement. WFME clarifies that this assumption is false. [Read more…] about Clarification on accreditation by ASIIN
WFME regularly receives enquiries from schools and students considering the option of acquiring accreditation from an agency with WFME Recognition Status that is based outside of their country. [Read more…] about Statement on cross-border accreditation
The Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA) has been awarded Recognition Status by the World Federation of Medical Education. The agency has been recognised for the full term of 10 years.
