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| International Medical Education Directory | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Medical Education Directory |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Dissolved | 2014 |
| Predecessor | World Health Organization World Directory |
| Successor | World Directory of Medical Schools |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Parent organizations | Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates; Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research |
International Medical Education Directory
The International Medical Education Directory was a joint bibliographic listing of medical schools compiled by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research to document basic medical education worldwide. It served as a reference linking institutions such as the Harvard Medical School, University of Oxford Medical School, University of Tokyo Faculty of Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and All India Institute of Medical Sciences with credentialing authorities including the World Health Organization, United States Medical Licensing Examination, and regional bodies like the General Medical Council and the Medical Council of India.
The directory originated from efforts by the World Health Organization and national registries such as the United States Department of Education and the Medical Council of Canada to standardize school listings during the late 20th century. Early antecedents included the WHO World Directory and country lists maintained by organizations like the General Medical Council and the Association of American Medical Colleges. In 2001 the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates partnered with the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research to create a consolidated searchable catalogue. Over time entries were compared with records from ministries such as the Ministry of Health (Brazil), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), and the Department of Health (Philippines), and with accreditation agencies like the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Australian Medical Council.
The directory aimed to list basic medical schools offering undergraduate medical degrees across nations including institutions in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa and beyond. It supported credential evaluation by agencies such as the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, licensing authorities like the United States Medical Licensing Examination administrators, and employers including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and national health services such as the National Health Service (England). The scope encompassed proprietary details found in records of the World Health Organization, regional directories like the European Union educational resources, and national registrars including the Ministry of Education (China).
Compilers drew on primary records from ministries of education and health such as the Ministry of Education (India), university registrars like those at University of São Paulo and Peking University Health Science Center, and international datasets produced by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Secondary verification referenced organizations including the General Medical Council, the Medical Council of India, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, and regional accreditors like the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions. Historic sources included alumni rolls from schools such as University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Medicine, archival catalogues from Université de Montréal Faculty of Medicine, and governmental gazettes from nations such as France and Germany.
Originally available as an online searchable database hosted by partner organizations, the directory provided entries with school names, locations, founding dates, and notes on recognition by bodies like the General Medical Council and the World Health Organization. Users included applicants to the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, administrators at hospitals like Johns Hopkins Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, and researchers at institutions such as Institute of Medicine and National Institutes of Health. Data export and print snapshots were used by credential evaluators including the National Board of Medical Examiners and immigration services in jurisdictions like the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The directory informed licensure eligibility for graduates of schools such as Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Faculty of Medicine, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, and Seoul National University College of Medicine. It supported scholarly work at universities and think tanks like the Brookings Institution and the World Bank on physician workforce distribution, influenced recruitment at healthcare providers including Kaiser Permanente, and guided policy at international bodies like the World Health Organization. Educators and students consulted it alongside resources from professional associations such as the Association of American Medical Colleges and the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations.
Critics cited incomplete coverage compared with national registries including the Ministry of Health (Argentina), discrepancies with accreditation lists from agencies like the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, and delays in reflecting closures or new programs at schools such as emerging private institutions in Nigeria and Pakistan. Researchers noted inconsistent metadata compared with datasets from the United Nations and questioned reliance by credentialers like the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates without cross-checking national authorities such as the Philippine Professional Regulation Commission.
In collaboration with the World Health Organization and stakeholders such as the World Federation for Medical Education, the directory’s roles were subsumed into the World Directory of Medical Schools launched through partnerships including the World Health Organization and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research. The consolidated World Directory of Medical Schools continues to serve entities like the General Medical Council, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, medical schools including King’s College London GKT School of Medical Education and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and global health organizations such as the Global Health Workforce Alliance.
Category:Medical education directories