Recently, over 100 students, faculty and staff gathered in the University’s auditorium for an afternoon of food, music, and celebration of the decision by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM), Ireland to grant full accreditation of ASUSM’s medical programmes for a further three years. The ACCM, recognized and approved as an accreditation body by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) is responsible for accreditation of schools of medicine throughout the Caribbean in Dominica, Cayman Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Aruba, Curaçao as well as the middle East in Bahrain.
The Dean of Academic Affairs, Professor Stanley White, congratulated the School on this latest achievement, which follows the full approval of the School’s Bachelor of Science Nursing degree programme, by the General Nursing Council for Dominica.
“Re-accreditation by the ACCM is a milestone achievement for the University. It means that internationally qualified assessors have judged that our functional and structural educational standards are equal to those of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) which accredits medical schools in the United States of America. All members of the ASUSM community contributed to this success, and all deserve full credit for their contributions,” said Professor White.
The ACCM decision confirms ASUSM as the only medical school in Dominica to be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools which is internationally-accredited by the only Organization responsible for international approval of accrediting bodies for the whole world (World Federation for Medical Education-WFME).
Professor White commented that “ASUSM is now well placed to consolidate and enhance our current contributions to Dominican healthcare and to society in general, and to increase our educational contributions through the imminent introduction of several new courses in Health Sciences beginning in 2023.”
Professor White advised that: “Before choosing a medical school and entering a course of study in Medicine, there are some key questions that prospective students should ask: 1. “Is the school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools? 2. “Is the school accredited by an accrediting body recognised by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and WFME? and 3. Is the school sponsored by the ECFMG? The reassuring answer to these questions for students considering ASUSM is “Yes”. From 2024, only schools of medicine accredited by WFME-approved accrediting bodies will be guaranteed to be able to register students for certification examinations and practicing licences in the United States and other regions/territories. The ASUSM will therefore, will be able to continue to offer our graduates career pathways in the United States, Canada, UK, and European Community as well as other international destinations.”
