International standards in medical education: assessment and accreditation of medical schools' – educational programmes. A WFME position paper

WFME has recently decided to extend its 'International Collaborative Programme for the Reorientation of Medical Education', aiming at the implementation of its educational policy at the institutional level. The first objective is to stimulate educational institutions to formulate their own plans for change and for quality improvement to align with international standards. The second objective is to establish a system to assure minimum quality standards for medical school programmes. Both objectives can be accomplished by publishing a World Register of Medical School, which will constitute an instrument of quality assurance in medical education. The Register should specify designation of a World Register Accreditation of medical schools, which fulfil internationally accepted and approved standards of medical education programmes. The accreditation could be differentiated in various categories.