Reorientation of Educational Deputy of Ministry of Health and Medical Education in accreditation and evaluation

Abstract

Background. Recently the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran has considered radical changes and innovation in the structure of medical education at all levels. Therefore the “Accreditation and Evaluation Plan of Medical Universities in Iran” is approved and emphasized in the Third 5-Year Development Program. Method. The Educational Deputy (ED) of Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) considered three main plans: (1) Goal-based internal evaluation, and external evaluation of educational departments of medical universities based on internal evaluation. In 1995-6 ED began the internal evaluation, defining quality as fitness for purpose; and in 2000 started the external evaluation in some medical schools as a pilot study, based on previous internal evaluation. (2) Collaboration with World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), according to International Standards for Basic Medical Education Pilot Studies. Shiraz Medical University was co-opted by WFME to collaborate in the first stage; three medical universities (Tehran, Shahid Beheshti and Ahvaz) are accepted for the second stage. (3) The project of “Standardization of Medical Education in Iran for Achieving International Accreditation”. This process is being performed in several steps: (a) Study of three different sets of national (Australia, US and Mexico) and international (WFME) standards; (b) Collection of the experts’ viewpoints specialized in medical education in this regard; (c) Development of the first action plan; and (d) Conduction of this project as pilot study in a number of medical universities. Results. Having primary results disseminated, motivated many other medical universities so that some announced their readiness to begin internal and external evaluation or standardization process. Conclusion. Regarding the importance of quality improvement in medical education, it is expected that even if this process would not lead to international accreditation acquisition, it will result in improvement and essential changes in basic medical education.