The Recognition Team of World Federation for Medical Education Visited Working Committee for the Accreditation of Medical Education

In order to further establish and implement the system of accreditation for medical education with Chinese characteristics and international effective equivalence, the Working Committee for the Accreditation of Medical Education (WCAME) applied to World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) for the Recognition Programme under the leadership and support of the Ministry of Education, the National Health Commission and the Higher Education Evaluation Center of the Ministry of  Education. After qualification examination and consultation, WFME agreed to conduct the visit to WCAME in October 2019.

From October 19^th to 27^th, the WFME recognition team successfully completed an eight-day site visit to WCAME in China. Carol Hodgson and the other three international medical education experts, have carried out comprehensive and in-depth investigation on the accreditation of medical education in China by investigation and exchange. This event is a milestone in the history of Medical Education in China.

On the morning of October 20^th, Professor Wang Weimin, the chairman of WCAME, introduced the status of Medical Education in China and the general situation of medical education accreditation in China to WFME experts, which provided the background for the follow-up site visit.

From October 20^th to October 24^th, the assessment team appointed by WCAME conducted a site visit to the Shanghai JiaoTong University, and the WFME recognition team observed the entire process. The accreditation team to Shanghai JiaoTong University included senior medical education experts. It was headed by Professor Wen Liyang, former vice president of Tongji Medical University, and Professor Ke Yang, former executive vice president of Peking University. Based on the Guideline for the Accreditation of Basic Medical Education, and the Standards for Basic Medical Education in China (2016), the accreditation team listened to school reports, held talks with relevant stakeholders, observed teaching activities, consulted materials and visited affiliated hospitals and community health service centers, and etc. Through these efforts, the accreditation team had a thorough understanding comprehensive collection of the school. During the site visit, WFME recognition team conducted a comprehensive, detailed observation and record, and exchanged ideas with the accreditation team of WCAME.

On the evening of October 24^th , the WFME recognition team arrived in Beijing to carry out follow-up in-depth study and exchange with WCAME.

On the afternoon of October 25^th, the WFME recognition team met with the leaders of relevant departments of the Ministry of Education, the National Health Commission, and the Higher Education Evaluation Center of the Ministry of Education in Beijing Friendship Hotel. Lin Huiqing, chairman of the Expert Committee on Medical Education of the Ministry of Education and former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, exchanged views with the experts. After that, the expert team held talks with Wang Qiming, deputy director of the Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education; Gao Bin, Director of the Agriculture, Forestry and Medicine Department; Fan Wei, director of the Higher Education Evaluation Center of the Ministry of Education; and Yu Qiurong, deputy director of the Education Department of the Science and Education Department of the National Health Commission. Former Peking University Health Science Center Vice President Cheng Boji, Chairman of WCAME Wang Weimin, Secretary General Xie Ana, Secretariat Office Director Li Man participated in the meeting on behalf of WCAME. The meeting had an in-depth exchange on the status of medical education in China, the qualifications of the WCAME, the support of the government, and the validity of the accreditation conclusions.

On October 26^th, the WFME recognition team observed a plenary conference of the WCAME, attended by 26 members and chaired by Professor Wang Weimin. Secretary General Xie Ana reported on the progress of accreditation of medical education in 2019. Then the conference considered the accreditation reports of Southwest Medical University and Xi'an Medical College. It also discussed about preliminary visits and reviewed the progress reports submitted by the universities and the comprehensive report and the basic situation of institutions during review visit in 2019. The conference proceeded in an orderly manner and was successfully concluded.

After the conference, the WFME recognition team communicated with representatives of WCAME to have a deeper and more detailed understanding of the working mechanism, decision-making process, resource support, and etc. In addition, the WFME recognition team also held discussions with all members of the Secretariat Office of the WCAME to learn more about the daily operation situation and mechanism of the office.

Since the accreditation for medical education in China was officially launched in 2008, a relatively sound accreditation system for medical education with Chinese characteristics and international effective equivalence has been gradually established, which played an important role in standardizing the running of medical education in China, ensuring quality, deepening the reform and promoting the process of internationalization, and strongly improved the quality of medical education in China. During the site visit, the WFME recognition team recognized the effectiveness of accreditation for medical education in China, and deeply felt the professionalism and enthusiasm of the WCAME experts.

The recognition site visit from WFME was regarded as a summary of the accreditation for medical education in China. In the future, WCAME will consider the feedback from WFME and make continuous improvements in order to strengthen the quality assurance system for China’s medical education, promote its integration with the international practice, and take it to the world stage.

Secretariat of WCAME

October 27, 2019

Background information

The World Federation for Medical Education

The World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) was founded in 1972 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Medical Association (WMA), which plays an important role in setting the global standard of medical education and promoting the reform of medical education. The global standards for medical education developed and revised by WFME have been translated into numerous languages and become a template for developing or revising medical education standards in many countries. At present, WFME consists of the Centre office, the Executive Board, the International Centre for Medical Education of the University of Copenhagen-Lund University, and Six-Regional Medical Education Association.

In 2010, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) issued a new regulation: “starting from 2023, all Foreign Medical Graduates applying for the ECFMG certificate must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by an international organization.’’

The recognition program was launched by WFME in 2012 to ensure the quality of Medical Education and the legitimacy of accreditation agencies. WFME recognition program was conducted by international experts appointed by WFME. In accordance with the WFME recognition criteria for medical education, the experts evaluate the qualification of national certification bodies, the standards and procedures adopted, the supervision after certification and the decision-making process. The evaluation process mainly includes:

1. A comprehensive assessment of a complete application for recognition of an accreditation body;

2. The recognition team conducts an on-site evaluation to a site visit organized by the  accreditation body;

3. The recognition team conducts an on-site evaluation of a decision-making meeting of the accreditation body;

4. WFME considers the report and other relevant documents from the recognition team.

By now, 20 national or regional accreditation institutions for medical education passed the evaluation certification by WFME.