IAMRA (International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities) is an international organisation with 116 members in 48 countries, including Hong Kong. IAMRA has as one of its strategic goals, to ‘provide support for members to achieve high standards for the education of doctors through appropriate accreditation processes’.
There is considerable diversity in the types of bodies offering postgraduate (specialist) training programs and there is potential for the quality of these programs to vary greatly. Specialist training is frequently profession-led through Colleges or Boards, although provision in the university and private for-profit sectors is not unusual.
Internationally, it is increasingly common for specialist training programs to be accredited by the government, a Medical Regulatory Authority, or an independent body established for the purpose. Within IAMRA’s membership, each of these accreditation models is in effective practice, but there are many countries where specialist training is not subject to independent accreditation.
In 2018, IAMRA members endorsed the following concluding statement:
‘IAMRA supports and encourages the development and implementation of robust, independent postgraduate medical education accreditation systems that ensure the provision of high quality training, identify inadequate programs, assist providers to improve the quality of their programs and ultimately, protect patients.’
This paper will explore:
- the many benefits of independent specialist training accreditation;
- the characteristics of an effective accreditation body;
- a framework for developing accreditation standards.
Co-location with:
