Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Accreditation Policy Change: A Boon or Setback for Caribbean Medical Schools?

Sateesh B Arja, Pranathi Chundru Medical Education Department, Avalon University School of Medicine, Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands AntillesCorrespondence: Sateesh B Arja, Medical Education Department, Avalon University School of Medicine, Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, Tel +599-96965682, Email [email protected]: According to the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME), “accreditation is the certification of the suitability of medical education programs and the competence of medical schools in the delivery of medical education.” There are more than 100 medical schools in the Caribbean. The educational programs and accreditation requirements of Caribbean medical schools vary from island to island. In 2010, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) in the USA mandated that graduates applying for ECFMG certificates must come from an accredited medical school starting in 2023. The accreditation agency must be recognized by the WFME. This motivated the Caribbean medical schools to go for accreditation and invest considerable financial resources. However, the ECFMG changed its stance and implemented a recognized accreditation policy in 2024, which does not require graduates from an accredited medical school. Is this a progressive or regressive change in Caribbean medical schools? The authors would like to explore this perspective based on current practices and available data, expectations of the future situation of the global healthcare systems, and perceptions of accreditation in the Caribbean, especially in undergraduate medical education programs.Keywords: Caribbean medical school, accreditation, ECFMG, cross-border accreditation, international medical graduates, recognized accreditation policy