Government Information

ACCM is a medical accreditation body whose members (Commissioners) are senior medical educators, together with a lay Commissioner who represents the public. Each Commissioners signs a conflict of interest declaration upon joining ACCM. They see their work as a contribution to the global effort to ensure quality medical education. ACCM serves countries which may not have a medical accreditation body of its own. The Commission is independent of the countries it serves and of the schools it inspects and evaluates.

ACCM requires an accreditation agreement with each government served, designating the roles, responsibilities and expectations of both parties. ACCM reports annually to governments. ACCM’s report includes details of accreditation activities during the year, a review of the Annual Database Report (and the Self-study if applicable) received from the medical school, and a note of changes that may have occurred in the medical school or its educational programme and the effects of these changes. The accreditation status of the school is either confirmed, or a change of status is notified.

Inviting ACCM to be a medical accreditation body

The Government reviews the ACCM Standards and ACCM Procedures and by formal resolution finds such standards and procedures appropriate.

By formal resolution, the Government approves ACCM as the accreditation agency for the particular medical school concerned and sends ACCM a Letter of Resolution accordingly.

The Government issues an invitation to ACCM to undertake the evaluation of the medical school.

The complete Process of Accreditation takes place in four stages. After a Stage 1 Preliminary Assessment (see Appendix 10) ACCM will examine the Profile Database (Stage 2) and Self-Study documentation (Stage 3) from the medical school which may be submitted in advance or concurrently with the Government’s invitation. If the information contained in the Profile Database and Self-Study is deemed to be satisfactory, ACCM will arrange for an inspection visit to be made to the pre-clinical campus (Stage 4). This Stage 4 Inspection cannot take place until the Letter of Resolution has been sent to ACCM. During this visit the ACCM inspection team will expect to meet with the appropriate Minister and/or Head of Government and the Heads of Agreement will be submitted to the Government for signature.

After the visit, the inspection team will report to the next ACCM Board Meeting and a decision is then made as to whether ACCM is able to accredit the medical school or whether it recommends actions on the part of the school before the school can be accredited.

If the decision is to undertake accreditation, the following steps are required in order to formalise the appointment of ACCM as the Government’s medical accreditation agency:

ACCM will appoint a Convenor.

Where appropriate, ACCM is authorised by the Government to work with the U.S. Department of Education and to receive reports and information on behalf of the Government concerned.

The Government sends ACCM the Letter of Resolution

An Accreditation Agency Agreement (Heads of Agreement) is signed between ACCM, the Government and the medical school to formalise the understanding between the three parties.

The Convenor undertakes to provide to the Government inspection and mid-cycle inspection reports on activities ACCM has undertaken during the previous year in relation to its role as accrediting agent.