The WFME standards are a global expert consensus on the standards for medical schools and other providers of medical education throughout the continuum of medical education and training: Basic Medical Education, Post Graduate Medical Education, and Continuing Professional Development. The standards are divided into basic areas and further divided into sub-standards, providing guidance and key questions.
- Standards are intended to guide the development and evaluation of medical education programmes.
- Standards provide a framework to be customised for the local context.
- Standards do not offer a universal core curriculum.
- Standards are not prescriptive.
- Not all of the WFME standards will be relevant in every setting.
In 2011, WFME estimated that the global standards had been used by around half of medical schools worldwide. The standards are endorsed by the World Health Organization (see 2013 policy briefing on accreditation), the World Medical Association (2004 resolution) and IAMRA (see 2016 statement on accreditation).
Intended audience: health authorities, medical associations, medical schools and national and international institutions and organisations dealing with basic medical education in all countries.