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Accreditations

 

Official recognition by accreditation bodies is an extremely important prerequisite for the operation of any institution of higher education. Without the required accreditation, the institution may not be allowed to commence instruction. Moreover, diplomas from non-accredited institutions are worthless for the graduates from those institutions. Occasionally, accreditation requirements change and the institution must react to those changes in order to maintain the accreditation status.

 

For example, the ECFMG announced in 2010 that from 2024 on all international medical graduates who wish to apply for ECFMG certification, which is required for postgraduate training in the US and USMLE Step III, must have graduated from a regional accredited medical school. In the Caribbean region, the sole WFME approved and ECFMG recognized accreditation bodies are CAAM-HP (Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions) and ACCM (Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine). This mandated for Caribbean medical schools that no later than December 2023 they must have obtained accreditation by either CAAM-HP or ACCM before their graduates will be allowed to commence postgraduate training in the US. Additional accreditations by individual states in the US may apply for clinical science education (i.e. clinical rotations) of students prior to graduation.

 

Whatever specific accreditation your institution may need, we are your partner. Our services regarding accreditation includes but may not be limited to (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Assistance collecting data for the medical education database (e.g., CAAM-HP sections 1 to 5);
  • Assistance collecting data for the self study report or individual sections of it, respectively;
  • Assistance regarding documentation of, for example, committee meetings and other decision making processes;
  • Assistance to the self study committee/task force/task force subcommittees that prepare the self study report of the institution;
  • Coaching of faculty, staff, and students in preparation of an upcoming site visit, including simulation of interviews during the site visit;
  • Communication with the legal department of your institution in the context of the accreditation;
  • Coordination of timetables and deadlines regarding the accreditation process;
  • Development and implementation of admissions criteria, rules, and policies;
  • Development and implementation of research projects;
  • Development and implementation of rules and regulations for faculty appointment, retention, promotion, and tenure;
  • Development of strategies for the improvement of Step I and Step II pass rates (first time takers);
  • Evaluation and improvement of testing methods in basic science courses and clinical rotations;
  • General advice and assistance regarding the interpretation of uncertainties that arise in the context of the self study report, the medical education database or other issues surrounding the accreditation;
  • Inspection of the basic science campus and clinical rotation sites;
  • Review, development, and implementation of academic rules and regulations for the institution;
  • Review of the educational program (curriculum) in conjunction with the respective departments in an interdisciplinary way and suggestion of changes, adaptations, and improvements, including vertical and horizontal integration of course contents;
  • Setup of a research facility: and
  • Setup of various academic committees.

If a specific need of your institution is not listed here, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to discuss the issue.. 

 

Currently we focus on the following types of accreditation listed below. Your specific accreditation is not listed? Please contact us to discuss the particular accreditation your institution needs.

 

  • Regional (e.g., CAAM-HP and/or ACCM for Caribbean medical schools)

  • Individual states in the US (New York, California, etc.)

 

Please be aware that all accreditations issued by regional accreditation bodies and US states carry an expiration date and must be renewed periodically. CAAM-HP accredits medical schools for a maximum of 5 years, ACCM for a maximum of 6 years. However, those maximum numbers are the exception rather than the rule. In most cases medical schools are accredited for one, two or three years, after which time the renewal is due. Oftentimes, specific conditions also apply as integral part of the accreditation, for example annual progress reports, addressing specific issues that the accreditation body has concerns about.

 

Below an estimated time frame for accreditation by a regional accreditation body is shown, in this case CAAM-HP. From the initial status evaluation until the decision on the application up to seven years may pass. If you are a Caribbean medical school and you currently do not have CAAM-HP and/or ACCM accreditation, you shoulld start the process now.