Education ministry signs MOU with US accreditation partner

The first signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Education and the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM) represents a major advancement in Barbados’ collaborative efforts to provide accreditation for medical institutions here, says Minister of State in the ministry, Sandra Husbands.

“All Barbados-based medical schools, as well as their students, and ultimately, their patients, will benefit from this partnership, as the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training remains devoted to ensuring that those who live, work, or study in Barbados are trained to international standards,” said Husbands at the signing ceremony this week at the Media Resource Department.

“Our Ministry of Education, and Barbados by extension, is unswerving in our commitment to the provision of education that meets international standards. In this regard, we must ensure that all educational institutions operating here are duly accredited. Indeed, this is a critical moment for this country as we seek to fulfill the mandate of delivering equitable access to quality education, thus ensuring a bright future for all.”

ACCM is an independent, non-profit organisation based in Ireland, and acts on behalf of several governments in relation to the accreditation of medical education programmes leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree.

Chair of ACCM, Dr Hilary Sanfey said: “We are honoured to have been approached by the Government of Barbados, and we look forward to receiving an application for accreditation from one of your medical schools in the near future.

“ACCM has developed Standards of Accreditation that are closely aligned with those of the LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education), and the US Department of Education’s National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation acknowledges that the ACCM standards of accreditation are comparable to those of the LCME, and we have been granted recognition by the World Federation for 10 years, up until the end of 2026. So, we can assure you that once we receive an application from one of your schools, they will be evaluated and accredited to the highest possible standards.”

(BGIS)