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.
Changes in wording were made four Criteria:
Criterion 1 now reads:
“The agency accredits basic medical education and is:
• a government or inter-governmental entity, or
• an independent professional body that is authorised or recognised by the relevant national or state/provincial government (Ministry of Health or Ministry of Education or both), or the legislator (parliament),
• an independent professional body that is authorised or recognised by a professional or scientific association with appropriate authority.”
Criterion 14.2 now reads:
“If less than full accreditation is granted, the agency has policies and procedures for allowing the medical school to demonstrate compliance with the conditions that were imposed.”
Criterion 14.4 now reads:
“The agency has the authority to undertake additional site visits.”
Criterion 20.2 now reads:
“The agency makes publicly available an up-to-date list of accredited medical schools. If the local language is not English, the list must also be available in the English language. The list must include the start and end date of accreditation for each school.”
The Application form that is used by the agency to describe their compliance with the Criteria was revised in line with the Criteria. All agencies that are currently applying or in the early stages of the process are advised to use the new documentation. Agencies that are further in the process (the site visit is planned in the coming months) can choose whether to use the new Criteria or be assessed against the previous version of the Criteria.
The revised documents will be valid until 2023, subject to any essential minor revisions that may arise.
