The College of Medicine at Qatar University (CMED-QU) organised a regional symposium last Thursday to discuss the accreditation of medical colleges across the Middle East
region.
Attending the forum were QU vice president for medical education and CMED dean Dr Egon Toft, 18 leaders of regional medical colleges, as well as senior representatives from Qatar’s Supreme Council for Health (SCH), the Supreme Education Council, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, the World Health Organisation, the World Federation of Medical Education, Association for Medical Education in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation, American University of Beirut, and Saudi National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment .
Presentations on the current status of Accreditation of Health Profession Education in Qatar and Bahrain were given by SCH acting CEO Dr Samar Abou al-Soud, and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Bahrain president Prof Sameer Otoom and Arabian Gulf University vice-president Prof Khaled Tabbara.
Expert groups further discussed recommendations and future directions concerning accreditation of medical education in the region.
“The topic of accreditation will gain increasing importance as the college strives to measure its academic quality against objective international standards,” Dr Toft said.
“Accreditation bodies for medicine in the USA, Canada, Australia, and European countries accredit colleges within their geographic boundaries. Many countries in the region, including Qatar, do not currently have its own accreditation body for medical education; this is what makes this meeting so important.”
CMED associate dean for academic affairs Prof Hossam Hamdy said: “We follow World Federation of Medical Education standards and our students follow an MD programme that is fully aligned with international standards and that will prepare them to successfully sit for international licensing exams and to practice medicine anywhere in the world.”
He added that the college is expected to undergo three international programme evaluation visits during the first eight years, an initial visit at the end of Year 2, an interim visit at the end of Year 4, and a full programme evaluation two years after graduating the first batch.