Table 2 Showing specific examples of standards and the domains they belong to

Basic standard (Level I)

1. The mission statement and objectives of a medical school must be defined by its principal stakeholders

Quality development (Level II)

2. Formulation of mission statements and objectives should be based on input from a wider range of stakeholders.

Academic autonomy

Basic standard (Level I)

3. There must be a policy for which the administration and faculty/academic staff of the medical school are responsible, within which they have freedom to design the curriculum and allocate the resources necessary for its implementation.

Quality development (Level II)

4. The contributions of all academic staff should address the actual curriculum and the educational resources should be distributed in relation to the educational needs.

Domain 2: Educational outcome

Basic standard (Level I)

5. The medical school shall define competencies that students should exhibit on graduation in relation to their subsequent training and future roles in the health system.

Quality development (Level II)

6. The linkage of competencies to be acquired by graduation with that to be acquired in postgraduate training should be specified.

7. Measures of, and information about, performances of the graduates should be used as feedback to programme development.

Linkage with Medical practice and the Health Care system

Basic standard (Level I)

8. Operational linkage must be assured between the educational programme and the subsequent stage of training or practice that the student will enter after graduation.

Quality development (Level II)

9. The curriculum committee should seek input from the environment in which graduates will be expected to work and should undertake programme modification in response to feedback from the community and society regularly.

Domain 4: Students Admission policy and selection

Basic standard (Level I)

10. The medical school must have an admission policy including a clear statement on the process of selection of students.

Quality development (Level II)

11. The admission policy should be reviewed periodically, based on relevant societal and professional data, to comply with the social responsibilities of the institution and the health needs of community and society.

12. The relationship between selections, the educational programme and desired qualities of graduates should be stated.

Student intake

Basic standard (Level I)

13. The size of student intake must be defined and related to the capacity of the medical school at all stages of education and training.

Quality development (Level II)

14. The size and nature of student intake should be reviewed in consultation with relevant stakeholders and regulated periodically to meet the needs of community and society.

Domain 5: Academic Staff/Faculty Recruitment policy

Basic standard (Level I)

15. There must be a staff recruitment policy, which outlines the type, responsibilities and balance of academic staff required to deliver the curriculum adequately, including the balance between medical and non-medical academic staff, support staff, Technical staff and between full-time and part-time staff.

16. The policy shall address issues of gender balance.

17. The responsibilities of the staff shall be explicitly specified job description and monitored.

18. Efforts shall be made for the policy to be well understood by the faculty.

19. Clarity of duties as regards Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education shall be explicitly documented.

Quality development (Level II)

20. A policy should be developed for staff selection criteria, including scientific, educational and clinical merit, relationship to the mission of the institution, economic considerations and issues of local significance.

21. There should be a staff retention policy, which outlines strategies to prevent and/or minimize staff brain drain.

Domain 6: Program Evaluation Involvement of stakeholders

Basic standard (Level I)

22. Programme evaluation must involve the governance and administration of the medical school, the academic staff, the students and the public.

Quality development (Level II)

23. A wider range of stakeholders should have access to results of course and programme evaluation, and their views on the relevance and development of the curriculum should be considered.

24. There should be a Faculty level tracer study of graduates.

25. There should be community representation at faculty level to meet social responsibility obligations.

Domain 8: Government and Administration Interaction with health sector

Basic standard (Level I)

26. The medical school must have a constructive interaction with the health and health-related sectors of society and government.

Quality development (Level II)

27. The collaboration with partners of the health sector should be formalised.

28. There should be a resource mobilization office, as a major faculty activity.

29. The Medical School should develop an effective system of communication for students, staff and the general public.

Communication

30. A Public Relations role should be defined and a host office named.

9. Continuous Renewal

Basic standard (Level I)

31. The medical school must, as a dynamic institution, initiate procedures for regular reviewing and updating of its structure and functions and must rectify documented deficiencies.

32. There must be a major review of Curriculae every 10 years

Quality development (Level II)

33. The process of renewal should be based on prospective studies and analyses and should lead to the revisions of the policies and practices of the medical school in accordance with past experience, present activities and future perspectives.