The Role of Medical Students as Principal Stakeholders in the Accreditation Process

Under the patronage of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, represented by the Apparatus for Supervision and Scientific Evaluation, the National Council for Accreditation of Medical Colleges (NCAMC) successfully conducted a skill development course on “The Role of Medical Students as Principal Stakeholders in the Accreditation Process” on November 14th, 2024.The course, targeted at senior medical students (Stages 5 and 6), was held virtually on the Zoom platform. Lectures were delivered by NCAMC members and the Head of the National Accreditation Team (NAT).The event aimed to enhance students’ knowledge of the accreditation process and increase their awareness as principal stakeholders in improving the quality of medical education. Additionally, it informed students of their critical role in the Self-Assessment Study (SAS) process and their active involvement during site visits.

Enhancement of Accreditation Process in The Medical Colleges

On October 31, 2024, the National Council for Accreditation of Medical Colleges, in collaboration with Al-Ameed University, organized a workshop to enhance the capacity of self-assessment committees in recently established medical colleges and support their steps toward academic accreditation. The workshops cover a variety of topics that are of paramount importance in preparation for the accreditation process, including  How to apply for accreditation  Guideline on Writing the Self-assessment Report  document indexing  Best practice panel discussion 

National Assessors Visit to Al Nahrain University /College of Medicine

As part of the academic accreditation process and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Iraqi NCAMC, the National Assessors Team conducted a site visit to the College of Medicine at the University of Nahrain from October 20 to 23, 2024. The purpose of the visit was to evaluate the extent to which the college meets NCAMC`s academic accreditation standards and to review the documentation submitted to obtain the international academic accreditation certificate recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). The visit involved examining the submitted documents and conducting a tour of the college to assess its infrastructure and make visual observations related to the educational process.

National Assessor Visit to Al Iraqi University /College of Medicine

The National Assessor Team visited the College of Medicine—Iraqi University from 14 to 17 October 2024 as part of the academic accreditation process. The team reviewed the documentation provided by the college across various accreditation criteria. They conducted field visits to different college facilities and affiliated teaching hospitals and model health centers approved by the college for student training. The team met with the College`s dean, faculty members, administrative staff, and students. They expressed satisfaction with the spirit of cooperation demonstrated by the college’s administration, faculty, and students.

National Assessors Visit to University of Basrah/College of Medicine

The College of Medicine at the University of Basra entered its second round of academic accreditation, having previously obtained conditional accreditation in May 2022. In line with NCAMC policy, the college re-applied for accreditation two years later. The accreditation team began its work, which culminated in a site visit from October 13 to 16, 2024, following a pre-agreed agenda. During this period, the team worked full-time, transitioning to part-time for two weeks to ensure they could complete their tasks thoroughly.

Student Selection Process

On September 5th and 12th, 2024, the National Council for Accreditation of Medical Colleges (NCAMC) in Iraq will conduct interviews with student candidates from various medical colleges across the country. The purpose of these interviews is to select two exemplary students to become members of the NCAMC. 

Quality Assurance Meeting

On August 22nd, 2024, the National Council convened a meeting featuring esteemed international expert and advisory board member Omar Mustafa. Dr. Mustafa, a consultant physician at King’s College Hospital and an honorary senior clinical lecturer at King’s College London, also serves as the Global Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians.

Meeting with International Expert

On June 27th, 2024, the National Council for Accreditation of Medical Colleges in Iraq hosted a meeting with International expert and members of the advisory board, including Professor Azim Mirzazadeh from the Department of Medicine and the Department of Medical Education at the School of Medicine, TUMS. 

NCAMC meeting with Deans of Medical Colleges

On May 30, 2024, the NCAMC convened a crucial meeting with Deans of Medical Colleges to discuss its future plan. Key highlights include achieving WFME Recognition Status for a duration of 10 years, addressing the policy of eligibility for accreditation, outlining the application process for accreditation, emphasizing monitoring of accredited colleges through a progress report policy, and actively involving students in the accreditation process. These efforts contribute to enhancing medical education quality across Iraq

Capacity Enhancing Workshop Internal Quality Assurance

Capacity Enhancing Workshop " Internal Quality Assurance" The National Council for Accreditation of Medical Colleges held a workshop focused on enhancing the capacity of its members concerning internal quality assurance. During this workshop, Professor Abduladeem Al Barak, the advisory member for the NCAMC, presented the principles and procedures to improve the internal quality assurance system and how these procedures ultimately lead to improving the productivity of NCAMC. Most NCAMC members attended this workshop, in addition to Professor Yusra Abdullah, the Head of the Accreditation Department in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Decision Meeting on Al-Qadisiyah College of Medicine

On May 9, 2024, the NCAMC accreditation decision board convened to finalize the accreditation stages of Al-Qadisiyah Medical College. The meeting was held over two sessions. In the first session, all nine areas were reviewed for their compliance with National Standards. The second session concerned the final decision on Al-Qadisiyah College of Medicine. The meeting concluded after the completion of the Quantum review.

ABC of self-assessment study

On the 25th and 26th of April 2024, an intensive training workshop was held at the UHK School of Medicine premises. The workshop was facilitated by NCAMC members and aimed to enhance the capabilities of self-assessment committees in crucial areas such as conducting self-assessment studies, generating evidence, crafting comprehensive self-assessment reports (SAR), and indexing these reports efficiently. Experienced lecturers from NCAMC members led participants through practical sessions, enriching their skills and expertise in self-assessment methodologies. The training delved deep into the practical applications of self-assessment studies, equipping participants with the necessary skills to conduct thorough studies and produce reports.

National Assessor Visit to the Diyala College of Medicine

The national evaluators` team of the National Council for Accreditation of Medical Colleges (NCAMC) conducted college evaluations. on April 22, 2024. The purpose of the field visits was to assess the college`s level of readiness and compliance with the standards  established by the National Council.

National Assessor Team Visit to Wasit College of Medicine

On April 21, 2024, the National Council for Accreditation of Medical Colleges  (NCAMC) carried out their duty of assessing colleges through their national assessors` team. The field visits were conducted to evaluate the college`s preparedness and adherence to the terms and standards set by the National Council. This is the final step in completing the accreditation process after a period of conditional accreditation. in completing the accreditation process after a period of conditional accreditation.

National Assessor Visit to University of Karbala/College of Medicine

The NCAMC, in the capacity of its national assessor team, conducted a one-week site visit to the College of Medicine, University of Karbala, beginning on April 15, 2024. This visit is the last one prior to the completion of the accreditation procedure following the expiration of the conditional accreditation period and the submission of the SAS report.