2003 Highlights
FAIMER-AAMC Collaborative Research
In December 2003, FAIMER and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) agreed to collaborate in a study of the educational experiences of U.S. citizens who graduate from international medical schools. The study will entail identifying those international medical schools with the largest numbers of U.S.-citizen graduates and gathering information about the schools' educational content, methods, and assessment. The study, which will be conducted and funded jointly by FAIMER and AAMC, is expected to span two to three years, and will conclude with analysis and dissemination of the results.
More information is available in Collaborative Research.
FAIMER to Support NBME Fellows
In 2003, FAIMER and the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®) collaborated to create fellowship opportunities under the NBME's Evaluation Fellowship Program. Under the program, NBME hosts international medical school faculty or staff members of official agencies involved in the evaluation of physicians in their home countries to study aspects of NBME's operations. FAIMER will provide funding and visa sponsorship for two Fellows from the National Medical Examination Centre in Beijing, People's Republic of China, in 2004. Each Fellow will devote several months to the study of medical licensing examinations.
For more information on the fellowships and the Fellows selected to participate in 2004, refer to FAIMER-NBME Fellowship Collaboration.
IMED Subscription Service
The International Medical Education Directory (IMED) is a freely-available, web-based resource that allows users to search and review information for individual medical schools. In October 2003, FAIMER introduced subscription-based access to IMED, allowing subscribers to download the entire IMED database. The introduction of this service responds to requests from organizations involved in credentialing and research for more comprehensive access to the IMED database.
For additional information on IMED, refer to International Medical Education Directory.
Programs to Focus on Educators in India
Regional focus is integral to the design of FAIMER's fellowship programs for medical educators. By concentrating efforts in specific geographical areas, the Foundation strives to create local networks of resources to support continued enhancement of medical education. In 2003, FAIMER identified educators and institutions in India as the primary focus of its educational programs. Additional areas of concentration will be educators and institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as South America.
Web-based Fellowship Application
In December 2003, FAIMER introduced a web-based application for its fellowship programs, the FAIMER Institute and the FAIMER International Fellowships in Medical Education (IFME). The web-based application allows medical educators to complete their fellowship applications on-line, save partially-completed applications, and review and change information until the applications are completed. The web-based application, available on the FAIMER website, is easy to use and available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
Refer to Educating the Educators for detailed information on FAIMER's programs for medical educators.
New E-mail Newsletter
In April 2003, FAIMER introduced FAIMER MedEd, an e-mail newsletter for the international medical education community. MedEd provides regular updates on FAIMER's resources, programs, and research. It also covers events and news from other organizations in the field of international medical education. Subscription is free and available on the FAIMER website.