International Association of Medical Colleges
ADVISORY COUNCIL

Background – Purpose
The International Association of Medical Colleges is dedicated to globally enhance medical education by means of accreditation. It works in close cooperation with those government regulators who oversee medical education, accreditation, and licensure of physicians.

The differences in the various systems of economic, political, and social values around the world are vast. The comprehension, motives, interest, or integrity of those who may control those systems within any one of 192 governments in this world are complex, and constantly changing. For IAOMC directors to understand all of this requires the advice of experts. Thus, the guidance, and recommendations of a large number of expert regulators, government officials, and medical educators from each society is needed. An enlightened exchange of ideas by knowledgeable people of good will from different perspectives is a must. The Council’s forum will be principally electronic. Considered international judgments require full consideration of each of the many local variances. Good science is universally true. But to apply the newly evolved science to medical students and apply it to patient care requires consultation with a deliberative body.

An email poll was taken of the regulatory community. (Click here) Ultimately, officials of twenty five per cent of the States within the United States unanimously responded affirmatively to both the need, and to extending invitations to regulators to participate. They also agreed the first issue requiring clarification would be the extent computer assisted learning could be validly used to enhance medical education. And so this Council has been formed. We have chosen council governance to be democratic, open and transparent.

The purpose of the Council is to advise the IAOMC Board on issues referred to it. Issues may be submitted to the IAOMC Board by the Advisory Council members, medical students, and patients, the public, medical educators, representative medical organizations, and/or government administrators or regulators. Issues will relate to any one or more of the following; medical regulation, practice, science, or education. The council will serve as an open international forum to provide a medium for ideas, assemble data, scholarly study, and obtain the consensus of experts. The Council will alert the IAOMC Board to such differences in national, regional, cultural, and any other diversity that exist in medical schools in a sensitive, respectful way. It will research, assemble factual data, study, and provide scholarly analysis by regulatory and medical educator experts. And it will recommend appropriate structures and organizations to cope with the dynamic of discovery in the medical sciences.

        I.    Council Membership - Applicants
All Council Members are appointed by and serve at will of the IAOMC board. The council members will be divided into three sections. Each section will serve as an expert resource to accomplish the multiple missions of the Advisory Council

Section 1. Experienced, expert, medical administrators or educators.
Medical educators are those senior faculty members experienced in teaching medical students. Medical educators may be retired as long as they remain current in medical affairs. They must have reached the academic rank of full professor. Any qualified medical educator may apply of their own initiative. Priority will be given to medical educators from underrepresented regions. The IAOMC Board may elect any applicant medical educator or administrator it believes will enhance the council’s expertise and debate.

Each IAOMC medical school member is authorized to nominate one Advisory Council member to the medical school section. Such representative shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing school and the majority of the IAOMC Board.

Section 2. Senior government regulators/Administrators or Medical Board members.
Medical regulators are individuals that establish or interpret laws, or rules or policies, on medical accrediting, licensing or practice. Medical administrators are those senior officers delegated with the responsibility of carrying out laws, policies and rules of their government in medical education or licensure for their government. Each member of this section will indicate if they serve either in their expert, individual capacity or as a representative of a government, a region of the world or school in their official capacity. Preference will be given to those with longevity, experience and authority. Individual members of this section may express their opinions confidentially.

Section 3. Distinguished Representatives of Countries, Regions, or Organizations
Organizations with a large medical educator or physician membership that have extensive knowledge of medical education, and/or the practice of medicine, and/ or the regulation of medical school students, or graduates may become members. Such member organization may appoint two members to the Advisory Council organizational section, subject to approval of the IAOMC Board.

The Chair, in consultation with the President, may form committees dedicated to particular issues. An effort will be made to appoint members with a diversity of opinions. Should the issue be regarded differently in some parts of the world the appointed committee members should reflect the views of the various world regions. Each section shall also elect its own fully participating, voting member to the IAOMC Board. All members are expected to approach an issue with an open mind, and prepared to share their research, opinions and thoughts in a constructive, scientific, collegial manner.

Any application to the IAOMC Board for appointment to any one of the three Advisory Council sections should be sent by email to the IAOMC President. Individuals must attach a CV stating particular areas of expertise, a willingness to recognize and improve the present accreditation standards. Organizations will provide a brief statement on their capacity to contribute to the purpose to their section. Membership is voluntary and uncompensated. Subscription to the principals and goals upon which IAOMC has been founded and participation in providing issue studies with background, solutions, advice, opinions and voting is expected. Applicants must be credentialed, knowledgeable, scholarly individuals or organizations. A measure of acceptance, is can an applicant contribute to bridging and understanding the world’s cultures to enrich the medical education and practice? There will be a deliberate effort to provide a regional balance among members.

     II.            Section Organization

                                o            Chair.
The role of the section Chair will be to receive issues to be discussed, organize/schedule the study of issues raised, to liaise with the IAOMC President and staff, interact with section members, assign such committees as may be required. The Section Chair shall make all parliamentary decisions. The Section Chair’s parliamentary decisions may be reversed by a two-thirds majority of the section’s membership. The Section Chair may establish study groups or committees and temporarily appoint a chair. The study group or committee may elect its own chair at its first meeting. Study groups/ committees will report to the membership of their section. The President is required to call a special membership or Study Group/committee meeting when more than a majority of members petition for such a meeting..

                                o            Secretary.
The section secretary will maintain the records of the section in an open and transparent manner. Record and digest minutes, email votes and forward them for posting on IAOMC’s web site. In the conduct of meetings, the Secretary will prepare the agenda, and notify the members.

Treasurer

The section treasurer in consultation with the section members will determine the budget for the section and arrange the participation of the section members to assist in raising such funds as may be required.

   III.            Voting - email voting - reporting
Each section will have its own Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. One month prior to the annual meeting each section shall elect its own Chair, Secretary and Treasurer section for a one year term. The three Section Chairs, Secretaries and Treasurers shall form the Advisory Committee’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall select its Executive Chair and Executive Secretary. The Executive Committee shall serve as the coordinating Committee of all three sections.

Any Council matter may be voted on by taped, transcribed, conference call, e-mail or regular mail ballot. The position of the members will be determined by vote at any duly called lawful meeting in which a quorum is present. Decisions shall be made by a majority vote of those members voting. Separate email rules will govern email voting.

The exchange of thoughts and ideas will be principally by email, fax or regular mail. Conference calls will be authorized when required. The electronic forum will allow an orderly global free flow of ideas. To implement electronic decision making the following system of email voting will be used. The Council members will meet electronically or by conference call as often as the need requires. They may meet in person at such time and place as may be determined by the Section Chair in consultation with and concurrence of IAOMC Board.

Any council concern, report and or recommendation will automatically be added to the next possible IAOMC Board agenda.

Any signed petition or resolution prepared in which 3/4th of the section membership waive notice of meeting and unanimously agree will be binding on those who chose not to participate

E mail voting

First. When any advisory Council report is complete and ready for member voting the email report proposal will be sent by the Advisory Council Executive Committee Secretary to all those Council members within the section(s) responsible simultaneously.

Second. Each council member will automatically be required to vote within forty-eight hours of the time sent. The forty-eight hour period excludes weekends and holidays. Failure to timely respond results in a forfeiture of the right to vote on the immediate proposal

Third. Any email voting proposal shall have the following preset voter options that follow the proposal; A. Approve B. Disapprove C. Approve with policy modification, D. This issue requires a telephone conference. E. Abstain. A voter may add such comment as they may choose. The majority of voters shall rule.

Fourth. It will be presumed a proposal simultaneously sent to all members will have been received by each of them if it has not been returned to sender.

Fifth. It is the responsibility of each voting member and/or alternate to maintain and monitor a current operating e-mail address that has been provided to all those entitled to vote.

Sixth. Any and all email voting reply shall be by replying to all voters simultaneously.

Seventh. Any voting irregularities shall be finally resolved by the Advisory Council’s Executive Committee.

Council reporting

The conclusions of each section will be democratically determined. Council reports shall first state the factual issues. Second. The process used to exchange ideas on the issue or issues. Third, facts agreed upon by the majority. Fourth. The minority view. Fifth. A short majority rebuttal. Fifth, Conclusions of the majority indicating the actual vote on the issues.. Sixth, Appendix including any committee reports, outlining bibliography with references to those particular parts relied upon.

    IV.            Assignment - Issues
After approval of the majority of the IAOMC Board, only its President, and/or Chief operating officer may submit an Advisory Council assignments or issues for study, debate and recommendation report. This will be sent to all three Advisory Council Executive Committee members who will determine which section(s) shall assume the responsibility for the subject assigned. When an issue is referred to a particular section it may choose to recommend to the Executive Committee assignment of any part or all of the discussion or research to another section.

       V.            Transparency
The Council’s debates, exchange of ideas, issues raised, decisions made will be open and transparent. Copies of emails concerning council business or issues, by, to, from, or between members will be copied to the Section Secretary and Chair. The Section Chair will forward a copy to anyone requesting them. Individual members of section II may elect to have their opinions remain confidential.

    VI.            Additional or amended By-Laws or policies.
Each section will be governed in accordance with the Advisory Council’s established policies or by laws, which have been accepted by the Council and approved by the IAOMC Board. Any section of the policies or by-laws may be amended by two thirds of the council members or a majority of the IAOMC Board.

Current issues submitted for Advisory Council review;

     I.            Develop Guidelines for recognition of transfer credits.
There is a variety of distinct types medical schools that train its students to practice medicine. For example, in the United States there are five basic types of medical schools; allopathic, osteopathic, chiropractic, podiatric and naturopathic. In addition there are schools of nursing providing several levels of patient care. Physician assistant schools train their students to be an auxiliary to a physician. Medical courses are available to train students in a limited capacity in schools in allied health sciences. Of course the courses vary greatly in scope, objectives, class hours, and concurrent labs. When students transfer there should be an evaluation of the transcript from the prior institution. Courses are evaluated and credits awarded for training that is comparable to the training in the new school. Regulatory or licensing agencies recognized this was unquestioned standard practice. Acceptance of credits for courses provided at another institution was clearly within the academic prerogatives of the official assigned.

However, in the early 1980’s regulatory licensing authorities discovered a bribery scheme. Medical students were being awarded credits for courses that were clearly unwarranted. Today, some newer schools websites seem to suggest violations to a bona fide application of academic discretion have returned. Regulatory agencies have requested IAOMC development guidelines to help define the circumstance when transfer credits may validly be denied or recognized.

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