Policy statement on implementing international standards in basic medical education

Aalborg-Denmark, August 2001

The International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), following a round table discussion on the occasion of her 50th General Assembly Meeting, hereby states her Policy/Position on IMPLEMENTING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS IN BASIC MEDICAL EDUCATION.

We recognize that to have quality development in basic medical education implementing international standards is vital.

IFMSA views the current situation in medical education as follows:

• Basic Medical Education courses conducted in about 1600 medical schools worldwide varies from one school to another. But only a little number of these medical schools worldwide are subject to external evaluation and accreditation procedures.
• These result in a very different level of medical knowledge, skills and behavior acquired by graduates of medical schools.
• Globalization is helping to produce a new vision of cooperation for common goals and specific advantages without precluding the local culture, language and various requirements responsive to local realities.
• Medicine itself is universal and requires a universal identity to work on it. We will be doctors for all.
• There is clearly no global system that provides the implementation of international standards.
  

IFMSA describes international standards in basic medical education as follows:

• IFMSA defines the word "standards as both a goal (what should be done) and a measure of progress toward that goal (how well it was done)
• IFMSA keeps in mind that "'implementing international standards' does not imply uniformity of medical schools or a threat to the fundamental principles that medical education has to address the specific needs in a given social and cultural context."
• IFMSA describes the report of World federation For Medical Education (WFME) on Defining International Standards in Basic Medical Education as a reference point for international standardization.
• IFMSA states that providing globalization by collaborating with international organizations such as WFME is a must in medical education.
• IFMSA urges all medical students to do their best for their own education.
• IFMSA describes taking role in implementation of international standards in basic medical education as one of the ways to achieve the best in medical education.

IFMSA urges medical students all around the world to take the initiative to reach international standards locally, nationally and internationally as follows:

• IFMSA aims to take a step further for the implementation of the international standards in basic medical education by,
  • helping professionals on medical education to investigate problems associated with implementation of international standards in basic medical educations and adapt strategies.
  • helping to raise awareness on the international standards in collaboration with international organizations.
• IFMSA urges medical students focus more on the international standards by organizing forums, workshops and training programs where recommendations of the professionals for the stage of implementation locally, nationally and internationally be presented.
• IFMSA suggests that the report of WFME On Defining International Standards in Basic medical Education be translated into different languages making it possible for everyone involved in medical education to understand
• IFMSA urges medical students to work in collaboration with International organizations to introduce the report on international standards to local, national and international authorities.

IFMSA advocates all national and local authorities in medical education to get involved in the stage of implementing international standards in basic medical education as follows:

• IFMSA calls upon all national and local authorities in medical education to view these standards as a way for individual faculties to get integrated with international recommendations and as a method to measure themselves.
• IFMSA calls upon all national and local authorities in medical education to implement international standards in their own curriculum in synthesis with their regional needs.

ALL IN ALL, IFMSA RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPLEMENTING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS IN BASIC MEDICAL EDUCATION AND ENCOURAGES MEDICAL STUDENTS TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO TAKE ROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE AS THEY ARE THE ONES TO CONTINUE THIS IN THE FUTURE.