Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012
News for International Medical Graduates
Rule would set a global standard for medical education
A 2023 requirement that all international medical graduates (IMG) graduate from appropriately accredited medical schools to practice in the United States is fueling global education requirements, according to a story in American Medical News.
The rule states that any IMG seeking certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) must graduate from a medical school accredited under internationally accepted standards set forth by the World Federation for Medical Education. With more than 2,500 medical schools worldwide, the initiative is a huge effort, ECFMG President and CEO Emmanuel G. Cassimatis, MD, told American Medical News.
"It's really a complex undertaking," Dr. Cassimatis said. "In a part of the world with no accreditation system, they would have to set up a system, and schools—if they don't meet the standards—have to be given the time to meet the standards. It would be very hard to do in less than 10 years."
American Medical News also quoted Andrew Jeon, MD, who is president of a company that operates two medical schools: Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica and American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten. Dr. Jeon called the initiative a crucial undertaking and said the standards will help weed out schools that provide an inferior education.
"We do need a single set of standards," Dr. Jeon said. "It's a challenge facing the world."
Submit AMA policy resolutions by Sept. 1
Members of the AMA International Medical Graduates (IMG) Section are invited to submit policy resolutions for consideration during this year's AMA-IMG Section's Interim Assembly Meeting. Resolutions are due Sept. 1 and must be related to advocacy. Guidance on writing a resolution is available online.
The AMA-IMG Section meeting will take place Nov. 9–12 in Honolulu in conjunction with the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Meeting registration information will be posted on the AMA-IMG Section Web page in the fall.
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