At the 72nd World Health Assembly, WFME addressed the delegates with a statement on the health workforce shortages. WFME stressed that is is important to harmonise the varying standards of quality in medical education world-wide, to provide basis for achieving appropriate care for all communities. Read the full statement below: [Read more…] about WFME statement on health workforce shortages
Recognition Criteria and documentation revised
WFME has revised the Recognition Criteria used to assess the legal standing, accreditation process, post-accreditation monitoring, and decision-making processes of an accreditation agency for programmes or schools of basic medical education. [Read more…] about Recognition Criteria and documentation revised
COMAEM awarded Recognition Status
Mexican Board for Accreditation of Medical Education (Consejo Mexicano para la Acreditación de la Educación Médica (COMAEM) has been awarded Recognition Status by the World Federation of Medical Education. The agency has been recognised for the full term of 10 years
A further three agencies gain WFME Recognition Status
Three accrediting agencies have been awarded Recognition Status by the World Federation of Medical Education – these agencies operate in Brazil, Egypt and Taiwan. All three agencies have been recognised for the full term of 10 years. [Read more…] about A further three agencies gain WFME Recognition Status
Clarification on misinformation about accreditation and WFME Recognition
Our attention has been drawn to a directive published by the Ministry of Health of Israel, which sets out requirements for medical students who plan to study outside Israel and then to apply to work in Israel. WFME would like to clarify several facts about the process of Recognition.
[Read more…] about Clarification on misinformation about accreditation and WFME Recognition
New information on the ECFMG 2023 policy
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) has released a detailed plan on the progress towards 2023. Starting 2023, applicants for ECFMG Certification, which is required for international medical graduates to train or practice in the United States, must be from a medical school that is appropriately accredited. More specifically, the school must be accredited by an accrediting agency that has earned the Recognition Status in the WFME Recognition Programme.
ECFMG has devised a 4-phase plan which is being implemented as 2023 approaches:
Phase 1 – 2018
ECFMG published the Guidance for students on selecting a medical school, which helps prospective medical students make better decisions on medical school selection.
Phase 2 – 2020
World Directory of Medical Schools will include the information whether a medical school is accredited by an organisation recognised by WFME.
Phase 3 – 2021
ECFMG physician reports to residency programs, employers, state boards, and medical regulatory authorities will include a statement on the accreditation status of the medical school.
Phase 4 – 2023
Individuals will be eligible to apply for ECFMG Certification if their medical school is accredited by an organisation recognised by WFME.
Find our more about the WFME Recognition Programme on the dedicated page, or contact WFME at accreditation@wfme.org.
Further information about the 2023 policy will be published on the ECFMG website in due course. For specific questions about the policy use the email address 2023@ecfmg.org.
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO) awarded WFME Recognition Status
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie) (NVAO) has been awarded Recognition Status by the World Federation of Medical Education. The NVAO is the fourteenth accrediting agency that has received the WFME Recognition Status.
Three accrediting agencies awarded WFME Recognition Status
Three accrediting agencies been awarded Recognition Status by the World Federation of Medical Education – these agencies operate in Georgia, Indonesia and Thailand. All three agencies have been recognised for the full term of 10 years.
Indonesian Accreditation Agency for Higher Education in Health (IAAHEH/LAM-PTKes)
(Indonesia)
Institute for Medical Education Accreditation (IMEAc)
(Thailand)
National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE)
(Georgia)
WFME Recognition Criteria edited
The Recognition Criteria against which WFME assesses accrediting agencies world wide have gone through a minor revision. Three changes have been introduced to the document:
- Criterion 11.3 which used to read: “The medical school undergoing the review has the opportunity to comment on matters of fact prior to finalisation of the report,” is no longer required.
- In Criterion 14.3, the wording is changed to:“The agency monitors schools throughout the duration of an accreditation period, and has a process for seeking information and taking further actions. This includes a requirement to report any substantive or anticipated changes to the educational programme, the quality of facilities and resources, or any other aspect that would impact the quality of the education delivered. The frequency of monitoring should be appropriate to the circumstances, including annual or more frequent monitoring if necessary.”
- Criterion 14.4. was has been split into two separate Criteria.
In January 2018, the Recognition Criteria were revised substantially. All accrediting agencies entering the Recognition Programme should now use the revised Criteria.
The Recognition Programme delivers an independent, transparent and rigorous method of ensuring that accreditation of medical schools worldwide is at an internationally accepted and high standard. WFME evaluates compliance of accrediting agencies with pre-defined criteria.The Criteria focus on the key elements of the agency’s functioning:
- Background (scope of authority, acceptance of the accrediting agency by others, substantive changes)
- Accreditation standards (existence and availability of standards, type of standards, appropriateness of standards, review of standards)
- Accreditation process and procedures (medical school self-study, site visit, reports, qualification & training of individuals associated with the accrediting agency, accreditation decisions, activities subsequent to accreditation decisions, complaints)
- Accreditation agency policies and resources (controls against conflict of interest, controls against inconsistent application of standards and procedures, administrative and fiscal responsibilities, due process, maintenance of records, availability and dissemination of information)