Medical education stands at the doorstep of profound change, which is rather a consequence of the process of globalization than the scholars' self-reflection. Created by interlocking economies, a global language, the informatics revolution and rapid travel, globalization has penetrated all aspects of human life including science, environment, public health and medicine. It is a fact that many aptitudes of physicians are universal, as well as the core competencies required by physicians throughout the world. However, the content of medical curricula differs greatly worldwide resulting varying levels of professional competences acquired by graduates of medical schools across the globe. Therefore, for the concept of "global profession" to become a reality, a set of core competencies that define what a physician is, regardless of where he/she is trained, is necessary. At a minimum, the question "what kind of internationally accepted requirements should a physician fulfill?' must be addressed.
To answer this question, the Institute for International Medical Education (IIME), an offshoot of the China Medical Board of New York, undertook the task of defining the "Global Minimum Essential Requirements" that specified the knowledge, skills, professional attitudes and behavior of the universal value to the practice of medicine to be demonstrated by students at the graduation.
The following are some of the documents that summarize the consensus of the international experts in medical education associated with the Institute. These present the spectrum of global essential competencies that encompass the all important domains of medical practice.
Global Minimum Essential Requirements in Medical Education Medical Teacher Vol. 24, No. 2, 2002 IIME Core Committee | Minimum Essential Requirements and Standards in Medical Education Medical Teacher Vol. 22, No.6, 2000 Andrzej Wojtczak M.D., D.MSc. M. Roy Schwarz, M.D. |
Evaluation of Learning Outcomes: Assessment Methods and Measurement Instruments Working Review, August 2001 Andrzej Wojtczak M.D., D.MSc. | The Assessment of Global Minimum Essential Requirements in Medical Education David T. Stern, M.D. Andrzej Wojtczak M.D., D.MSc. M. Roy Schwarz, M.D. |
Global Minimum Essential Requirements: A Road Towards Competence-Oriented Medical Education M. Roy Schwarz, M.D. Andrzej Wojtczak M.D., D.MSc. | The 60 learning objectives of the Global Minimum Essential Requirements, grouped by domain IIME Task Force for Assessment |
Institute for International Medical Education.
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