Quality assurance in undergraduate medical education: standards for accreditation

Abstract

Quality assurance in medical education, with special reference to standards for accreditation was investigated, and a set of national standards was developed for use in self-evaluations of medical schools and in the accreditation of medical education programmes in South Africa. An extensive literature study formed the basis for the investigation, and the Delphi technique was used for the empirical study. A set of 110 standards, catagorised according to specific areas, was designed, comprising absolute standards and standards aimed at encouraging development. The standards are suitable for verifying the quality of medical education, to be used as a lever for change and reform and as principles guiding quality assurance. The areas covered by the standards and the aspects addressed in each are described. SAJHE Vol.18(1) 2004: 221-227