Transcript Accreditation Process (cont`d)

INQAAHE 2009 Conference
THEME:
New Approaches to Quality Assurance in the
Changing World of Higher Education
TITLE:
Quality Assurance of Medical Education
Programmes in the Anglophone Caribbean:
Accreditation by the Caribbean Accreditation
Authority for Education in Medicine and Other
Health Professions as one method of Assuring Quality
AUTHOR:
Lorna Maria Parkins, B.A., M.A., Postgraduate Diploma
in Technical and Specialised Translations (Spanish,
French and Portuguese), Executive Director, CAAM-HP
CAAM-HP Secretariat Office:
Suite #4, Seymour Park, 2 Seymour Avenue, Kingston 10, JAMAICA
Tel: 876-927-4765; Fax: 876-9276781; e-mail: [email protected]
THE CARIBBEAN
G U L F O F M E X IC O
A T L A N T IC
B ah am as , T h e
O C E AN
T u r ks a n d C aic o s Isla n d s
C ub a
M e x ic o
C ay m a n Is la n d s
H ait i
D o m in ica n R e p u b lic
B rit is h V ir g in Is la n d s
P u e rt o R ic o
V irg in Isla n d s
Ja m a ica
B eliz e
A n g u illa
S t. K it ts a n d N e v is
A n t ig u a a n d B a rb u d a
G u a d e lo u p e
D o m in ica
H o n d u ra s
M a rt in iq u e
C A R IB B E A N S E A
S t. V in ce n t a n d th e G re n ad in e s
E l S alv a d o r
B ar b a d o s
A ru b a
N ic a ra g u a
S t. L u c ia
N et h e r la n d s A n t illes
Gr e na da
T rin id a d a n d T o b ag o
C o s ta R ic a
P an a m a
V en e z u e la
C o lo m b ia
G u ya n a
S u r in a m e
Background

Medical education in the Anglophone Caribbean began
in 1948 at the University College of the West Indies
(UCWI), then a part of the University of London.

From then onwards and after full university status (The
University of the West Indies (UWI)), in 1962 the
medical education programme was accredited by the
General Medical Council (GMC) of the United
Kingdom (UK).
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Background (cont’d)

GMC accreditation enabled UWI graduates to register
freely in the UK and other Commonwealth countries.

However in 2001, the GMC discontinued this practice
of accrediting overseas institutions.

Over the last 30 years, the region has witnessed
significant change and growth in medical education.
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Background (cont’d)

Medical schools have been established at the University
of Guyana and the University of Suriname.

In addition, there has been an increase in the number of
‘offshore’ medical schools in the region, the first being
St. George’s University School of Medicine followed by
Ross University School Medicine.

According to the IMED there are over 30 such schools
in the Caribbean today.
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Background (cont’d)

Therefore there are 3 types of medical schools in the
region: regional, national and offshore.

In1989, the UWI established schools in Dentistry and
Veterinary Science.

Other schools in dentistry and veterinary medicine have
since been established.
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Background (cont’d)

Quality–control oversight measures have varied.

Achieving reliable accreditation is difficult.

This is cause for concern in the light of the rapid
increase in the number of medical schools.

Such a situation adds to the disquiet and requires
international cooperation.
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Background (cont’d)

In response to these developments as well as the
regional thrust to ensure quality education and training
in the context of the CARICOM Single Market and
Economy (CSME), The Caribbean Accreditation
Authority for in Medicine and Other Health
Professions (CAAM-HP) was established under the
aegis of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
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Background (cont’d)

In today’s world, the continuous movement of
professionals and technology and rising quality
standards make accreditation an imperative.

The purpose of CAAM-HP is the accreditation of
undergraduate programmes leading to qualifications in
medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and other
health professions in CARCIOM member states.
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Background (cont’d)

CAAM-HP objectives:
(a)
To achieve and maintain standards of excellence in
programmes of education in medicine and other health
professions;
(b)
To establish an efficient system of regulation in relation
to the standards and quality of such programmes of
education;
(c)
To secure international recognition of the programmes of
education in medicine and other health professions;
(d)
To maintain the confidence of the peoples of the region
in the quality of medical and other health professions
training offered in the region.
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Background (cont’d)
What is Accreditation?
 Accreditation is a peer review process of quality
assurance based on standards for process and
outcomes.
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Accreditation Process

The CAAM-HP process uses established criteria,
standards and processes. It aims:

To certify that a medical education programme
meets the prescribed standards

To promote
improvement

To assure society and the medical profession that
graduates of accredited schools meet educational
requirements
institutional
self-evaluation
and
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)

Accreditation asks the following questions:

What are the objectives of the medical education
programme?

Has the institution organised its programme and
resources to accomplish these objectives?

What is the evidence that
accomplishing its objectives?
the
school
is
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)

The process is characterised by:

an institutional Self-Study by the school,

an on-site review by a team of surveyors and

a review of the survey team’s written report by the
CAAM-HP which forms the basis of the
determination of a programme’s accreditation status.
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)
Institutional Self-Study (ISS)

The ISS is central to the process.

It is built around pre-set standards under the headings:






The Institutional Setting
The Students
Educational Programmes
The Faculty
Educational Resources
Internships
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)
ISS (cont’d)

In the self-study,
representatives to:
a
school
brings
together

collect and review data about the school and its educational
programme

identify institutional strengths and issues requiring action, and

define strategies to ensure that the strengths are maintained
and any problems addressed.
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)

The ISS report evaluates the quality of the programme
and the adequacy of resources.

It also identifies strengths and weaknesses.

The report also includes an independent evaluation by
students.
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)

The usefulness of the ISS is enhanced when
participation is broad and representative.

The process also serves as a vehicle to affirm the
school’s mission and goals or set new strategic
directions.

Of note, in at least one instance, the survey team found
participation to be limited.
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)
Site Visit

The CAAM-HP Secretariat recruits and trains a team of
persons to assess how well a programme complies with
the standards.

During the visit the team meets with the necessary
persons from the institution.

At the end of the visit the team presents an oral report
of its findings to the dean and vice
chancellor/president.
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Accreditation Process (cont’d)
Report Development and Review

The team makes a written report of its findings.

The draft report is perused by the school for correction
of any errors of fact and then sent to the secretariat.

The final report is sent to the CAAM-HP members for
review prior to the next meeting.
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CAAM-HP Action

The CAAM-HP meets to consider the report and
determines accreditation status.

This is communicated to the school and CARICOM.
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CAAM-HP Action (cont’d)

Programmes are judged as:





Accredited for a term of up to six years
Accredited on Probation
Not Accredited
Provisionally Accredited
Full accreditation is awarded when a programme is
deemed to have met the standards.
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CAAM-HP Action (cont’d)

Of the three schools that completed the process, none
received full accreditation for six years.

The regional university was granted full accreditation
for four years.

The national university was asked to resubmit its
documentation.

The offshore school was
accreditation for two years.
accorded
provisional
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Impact and Outcomes (cont’d)

Weaknesses/deficiencies identified in the ISS and verified by the
team is communicated to the school by CAAM-HP.

Areas in which schools were deemed non-compliant or partially
compliant included:



Governance
Curriculum
Students
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Conclusion

Schools have acknowledged the usefulness of the
process.

Schools also recognise the importance of regular
accreditation for quality assurance.

The cyclical process of accreditation is a mechanism for
on-going quality improvement.
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END OF PRESENTATION
THANK YOU
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