ECFMG|FAIMER Research Finds Drop in Interest From Muslim-Majority Country Physicians

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories publications, researchTags , ,

Applications for ECFMG Certification from citizens of Muslim-majority countries have decreased since 2016 which could exacerbate gaps in the U.S. physician workforce, according to an article co-authored by ECFMG|FAIMER executives and published July 6 in the JAMA Network Open, an on-line publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The article, Prevalence of International Medical Graduates from Muslim-Majority Nations in the U.S. Physician Workforce from 2009 to 2019, was authored by John Boulet, PhD, Vice President for Research and Data Resources for ECFMG|FAIMER; William W. Pinsky, MD, President and CEO of ECFMG|FAIMER; and Robbert J. Duvivier, MD, PhD of the Parnassia Psychiatric Institute in The Hague, Netherlands.

According to the article, citizens from Muslim-majority nations made up 4.5 percent of the U.S. physician workforce in 2019. Applications for ECFMG Certification from citizens of these countries increased from 2009 to 2015 but decreased considerably from 2016 to 2018, especially for citizens of Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

The article has generated significant coverage in the news media internationally, including articles in The Arab Weekly, Arabian Business, Free Malaysia Today, and The Daily Mail to name a few.

Global Webinar Series Presented by MAHE-FAIMER and ASU-MENA-FAIMER Regional Institutes

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories Regional InstitutesTags , ,

A collaborative global webinar series is currently being offered by the MAHE-FAIMER International Institute for Leadership in Interprofessional Education in India and the Ain Shams University-Middle East North Africa-FAIMER Regional Institute (ASU-MENA-FRI) in Egypt. The webinars are free of charge and are facilitated by the Directors and faculty of the MAHE-FAIMER and ASU-MENA-FAIMER Regional Institutes. Upcoming webinars include:

Online Assessment of Clinical Competence: Approaches and Methods
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 (2:00 pm CLT, 5:30 pm IST)
Presented by Mohammed Hany Shehata
Professor of Family Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain
Core Faculty, ASU-MENA-FAIMER Regional Institute, Egypt

Interprofessional Collaboration during COVID Time
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 (4:00 pm CLT, 7:30 pm IST)
Presented by John HV Gilbert
Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, Canada
Dr. TMA Pai Chair in Interprofessional Education, MAHE, India

Handling Volume, Variety and Veracity of Data – COVID-19 as Context
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (2:00 pm CLT, 5:30 pm IST)
Presented by Seena Biju
Dean, School of Management and Business, Manipal International University, Malaysia
Core Faculty, MAHE-FAIMER Regional Institute, India

Teaching during Turbulence: Changing Paradigms in Faculty Development
Saturday, May 30, 2020 (4:00 pm CLT, 7:30 pm IST)
Presented by Ciraj AM
Director, MAHE-FAIMER Regional Institute, India
Chair, Indian Interprofessional Education Network (IndIPEN)
Secretary, Academy of Health Professions Educators (AHPE), India

To register for a webinar, click here.

2020 FAIMER Institute Fellows

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories FAIMER Institute, FellowsTags

The residential session of the 2020 FAIMER Institute that was scheduled to begin on March 8 in Philadelphia has been postponed due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak. The 2020 FAIMER Institute program will now be offered online and will launch in July. The 2020 FAIMER Institute Fellows are:

Hany Salem Mohamed Atwa, M.B.Ch.B., M.H.P.E., Ph.D., Suez Canal University, Egypt

Nancy de los Angeles Segura Azuara, M.D., Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Campus Monterrey, Mexico

Mobolanle Rasheedat Balogun, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., University of Lagos, Nigeria

Lalem Menber Belay, B.Sc., M.P.H., Jhpiego, Ethiopia

Shalote Rudo Chipamaunga, B.Sc., M.Ed., Ph.D., R.N., University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

Derrick Tembi Efie, M.D., University of Dschang, Cameroon

Sadia Fatima, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., Aga Khan University, Pakistan

Wonde Shewatatek Gedamu, B.Sc., M.H.P.E., M.Sc., Jimma University, Ethiopia

Fentaye Mintwab Gelagay, B.Sc., M.P.H., Jhpiego, Ethiopia

Mehmet Gokhan Gonenli, M.D., Koç University, Turkey

Eduardo Jorge Sant Ana Honorato, B.Sc., Ph.D., Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Brazil

Andriana Malska, M.D., Ph.D., Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine

Amooti Patience Muwanguzi, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., Makerere University, Uganda

Richard Nduwayezu, M.B.B.S., M.Sc., University of Rwanda, Rwanda

Ahsan Sethi, M.Med., M.P.H., Ph.D., Khyber Medical University, Pakistan

Ha Minh Thuy, M.D., Vingroup University Project, Vietnam

Zhijie Wei, M.Med., Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, China

Dalia Ahmed Yousef, M.B.B.S., M.Sc., Ain Shams University, Egypt

2020 Application for the FAIMER-Keele Distance Learning Program Is Now Open

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories applications, distance learningTags

FAIMER is now accepting 2020 applications for the FAIMER-Keele Distance Learning program. The deadline for application is August 10, 2020, and course work will begin on September 21, 2020.

Now in its eighth year, the program is conducted in partnership with Keele University and The Centre for Medical Education in Context (CenMEDIC) in the United Kingdom. Courses are administered by CenMEDIC and follow the quality assurance guidelines and policies of Keele.

What makes the FAIMER-Keele program unique is its focus on accreditation and assessment. Participants are able to earn a Certificate, Diploma, or Master’s Degree in Health Professions Education (MHPE): Accreditation and Assessment. The program aims to empower health professions educators with the knowledge and skills to take educational standards and practice to a higher level—to develop their own practice, to improve health professions education at their institutions and in their communities, and ultimately to help bring about real and lasting advances in local health care. The guidance and expertise of Course Directors Janet Grant, Ph.D., Director of CenMEDIC and Emerita Professor of Education in Medicine at The Open University, and John Boulet, Ph.D., Vice President for Research and Data Resources of FAIMER, help participants stay connected and engaged.

The FAIMER-Keele Certificate and Diploma programs are conducted as fully supported distance learning using downloaded modules, podcasts, library work, and moderated discussion forums. The Master’s Degree also includes a brief residential session and a dissertation.

Program features include:

  • Training and mentoring from international experts in health professions education
  • A flexible learning format, which allows busy working professionals to learn new skills and advance their careers while continuing to practice in their current positions
  • Planning developments in assessment, quality, and curriculum that are contextually relevant
  • A focus on accreditation and assessment, in which international standards, accreditation processes, quality assurance, and monitoring are integrated into study

Detailed information on the registration process, eligibility requirements, and tuition and fees can be found on the program’s website.

Questions regarding the program may be directed to distancelearning@faimer.org.

Registration Is Now Open for FAIMER’s 2020 Global Health Matters Forum: Connecting Healers and Makers

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories Global Health MattersTags ,

FAIMER’s annual Global Health Matters forum will take place virtually on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 from 8:30 to 11:30 am Eastern Standard Time (UTC – 4). The theme of the 2020 forum is Connecting Healers and Makers. Registration is now open  for virtual participation.

This year a global community of makers, visual and performing artists, and designers will join health professions educators online for a day of rich learning and dialogue. By the end of the forum, participants will be able to:

  • Define the processes related to concepts of creativity.
  • Identify skills and education opportunities that health practitioners can gain from the arts.
  • Identify skills and education opportunities that practitioners in the arts can gain from health practitioners.
  • Apply concepts of creativity to innovation and the healing arts.

Online participants will have access to the live streamed session and moderators will incorporate virtual participants’ input into plenary discussions. Having at least one other person participate with you will enhance the experience considerably, and small groups of four to six face-to-face participants are ideal. Virtual groups of global participants will also be formed.

Click here to register.

Questions about Global Health Matters may be directed to Jennifer Yerkov at jyerkov@faimer.org.

Apply Now for the 2020 Student Projects for Health Competition

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories competitions, Student Projects for HealthTags , , ,

Applications are now open for the 2020 Student Projects for Health competition! The Student Projects for Health competition recognizes students who have made outstanding contributions to projects that successfully promote community health and well-being. Launched in 2015, the competition is now supported by  FAIMER, The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH), the Student Network Organization (SNO), and GEMx as part of the annual conference of The Network: TUFH. It is open to all undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in any course of study who have been participating in such projects. Winners are sponsored by FAIMER to attend the conference; sponsorship includes air travel, hostel accommodation, and conference registration fee.

Student Projects for Health winners will:

  • Write about their projects in the TUFH Online Community
  • Write a blog every two months about their projects for one year in the TUFH Online Community
  • Give a five-minute presentation on their projects during an Oral Presentation Session at TUFH 2020 using posters for visual effect
  • Receive their awards at the ECFMG/FAIMER Cocktail Reception at TUFH 2020
  • Provide follow-up feedback on their projects for three years

Applicants will need to provide the following information:

  • SNO Membership certificate
  • Copy of student ID
  • Profile picture
  • Picture of the project
  • A one-minute video with pictures and/or video from the project (you must provide URL to view)
  • Letter of recommendation from the academic supervisor of the project/professor/the dean
  • Motivation Letter: Why should you receive this award?, What makes you stand out from other health sciences students?, How does your project impact your community?

Applications will be judged on the degree of the applicant’s participation and their contribution to project innovation/sustainability/measurement/diffusion.

Winners of the 2020 Student Projects for Health competition will be fully sponsored to attend and present their projects at the 2020 conference of The Network: TUFH, to be held September 22-25, 2020, in Mexico City, Mexico. Full sponsorship includes fully paid registration fee, hostel accommodation, and economy travel. Winners must agree to abide by all local laws of the country and the terms of their visas to Mexico.

The deadline for application is February 15, 2020. Winners will be announced on March 1, 2020.

Please visit https://tufh2020.com/spfh/ for more information or to apply.

Apply Now for The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) 2020 Student Network Organization (SNO) Exchange

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories applications, The Network: TUFHTags , , , ,

The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) and the Student Network Organization (SNO) are now accepting applications for the 2020 SNO Exchange!

Since 2017, The Network: TUFH and SNO have been providing SNO students with an opportunity to apply for an exchange program at the annual Network: TUFH conference co-hosting university. The exchange program provides, on average, two students with a chance to participate in health system placement in another country, and usually on another continent! The 2020 SNO Exchange is a collaboration between SNO, The Network: TUFH, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM); and is powered by FAIMER and GEMx.

To be eligible, an applicant must be: a member of SNO or a student whose school is part of the GEMx networks; a current student in a health sciences program; and highly motivated to participate in this internship. Full commitment to the program is necessary to gain the most out of this opportunity. The winner(s) will receive: fully paid travel and accommodation for the duration of the exchange as well as during the 2020 Network: TUFH conference, to be held September 22-25, 2020, in Mexico City, Mexico; fully paid conference registration; and a health care department placement.

The 2020 SNO Exchange  will consist of two parts: digital collaboration and on-site visits. The group will work together on the analysis of a health system (for 2020, the Mexican Health System) from an interprofessional viewpoint. The digital collaboration will take place before the TUFH 2020 conference through video conference and email, and will last approximately six to seven months. Participants will work alongside tutors from the UNAM public health department, as well as UNAM students. After the digital collaboration portion of the program, students will visit Mexico to spend two and a half weeks learning about the function and organization of the Mexican Health System firsthand, through site visits and coursework.

For eligibility, application, and other information on the 2020 SNO Exchange, please visit https://tufh2020.com/faimer-sno-exchange/.

Questions regarding the 2020 SNO Exchange may be directed to: sno.network@thenetworktufh.org.

The deadline for application is February 15, 2020. Winners will be announced on March 1, 2020.

ECFMG/FAIMER Boards Elect New Trustees

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories press releasesTags

The Boards of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) and its Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER®) elected six new trustees at their final meeting of the year on December 5. ECFMG/FAIMER trustees serve at-large, and five of the new trustees will serve four-year terms.

As part of the election, ECFMG/FAIMER established a new trustee position reserved for a U.S. resident or fellow who is an international medical graduate (IMG). A sixth new trustee was elected to this position, which is a voting member of the Boards with a two-year term.

“We are very pleased to welcome these six accomplished individuals to our Boards,” said William W. Pinsky, M.D., President and CEO of ECFMG and Board Chair of FAIMER. Andrew T. Filak Jr., M.D., Chair of the ECFMG Board of Trustees, continued: “They all bring significant skills and experience to the stewardship of ECFMG/FAIMER as we explore new pathways to improve health care and medical education worldwide. The addition of the IMG resident/fellow perspective to our governance will be invaluable to enhancing our service to IMGs and their U.S. training programs.”

The new trustees are:

Cheryll Albold, Ph.D., MS. Ed.
Dr. Albold is an Assistant Professor of Medical Education at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and the Designated Institutional Administrator for the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. In partnership with the Designated Institutional Official, she provides leadership and oversight for sponsoring institution and program accreditation activities governing over 300 residency and fellowship programs that enroll more than 1,800 trainees at campuses in Minnesota, Arizona, Florida, and the Mayo Clinic Health System. She has over 25 years of professional experience in a wide variety of education settings. Dr. Albold received both a Ph.D. degree in educational studies (higher education) and a certificate in educational research, measurement, and evaluation from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and a master’s degree in counseling and student professional services from Fordham University.

Donald Craig Brater, M.D.
Dr. Brater is the Vice President of Programs at the Walther Cancer Foundation and President of the Regenstrief Foundation, both of which are based in Indianapolis. He served as the ninth dean of the Indiana University School of Medicine for 13 years before retiring from that position in 2013, at which time he was presented with the university’s highest honor, The University Medal, for his visionary leadership. He serves as a board member of BioCrossroads and is President of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine. He also served on the Editorial Board for the American Journal of Medicine and served on the National Institutes of Health National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Dr. Brater received a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and a Doctor of Medicine from Duke University.

Anne Marie Irani, M.D.
Dr. Irani is Emerita Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine in the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Virginia Commonwealth University and a U.S. Medical Expert in the Department of Medical Affairs within the Research and Development Section at GlaxoSmithKline. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Residency Review Committee for Allergy and Immunology. She was the Co-Director of the Allergy/Immunology training program at Virginia Commonwealth University for 26 years. She has served on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology; as an Associate Editor of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; and is the current secretary treasurer for the Board of Directors of the American Board of Medical Specialties. Dr. Irani graduated from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon.

Prerna Mona Khanna, M.D., M.P.H.
Dr. Khanna is a triple board-certified medical doctor, Emmy Award-winning multi-platform medical journalist, and an acclaimed humanitarian and disaster volunteer. She is the medical director of a thriving occupational medicine practice in Palm Springs, CA; a visiting clinical associate professor at her alma mater, the University of Illinois; and an affiliate of the Center for Global Health at the university. Her humanitarian work after numerous natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis has brought her overseas aid work to more than 14 countries. Dr. Khanna is a lifelong advocate of patient empowerment through consumer education, and has been recognized for dedicating thousands of hours since her student days in medical school to educating the public through speaking events, television broadcasts, and publications. Dr. Khanna earned her master’s degree in public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, her M.D. degree from the University of Illinois, and a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Northwestern University.

John Ogunkeye
John Ogunkeye is Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President of Global Services for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Before joining ACGME, John held senior leadership positions at Johns Hopkins Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and the University of Chicago Medical Center. In his role at ACGME, John is responsible for managing the organization’s administrative and financial systems as well as oversight of international consultations to governmental agencies in the evaluation and the design of medical education systems. Growing up the son of a diplomat, John lived in many countries, which drove his passion for working in the international arena. John holds Master of Science degrees in biology and health care administration.

Beatriz Wills, M.D. (IMG Resident/Fellow Trustee)
Dr. Wills is a hematology oncology fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. Previously, she was an internal medicine resident in the Osler Internal Medicine Residency Program at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. A resident of Bogota, Colombia, she is studying on a J-1 visa sponsored by ECFMG. Dr. Wills completed medical school at Los Andes University in Colombia. Prior to her residency with Osler, she completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care at Johns Hopkins and has several journal publications to her credit. Her initial interest in medicine was influenced by her family, which includes several doctors. She is passionate about immunotherapy and hematologic malignancies, and aspires to become a world leader in oncology and medical education.

The December 5 meeting also was the last for Anne M. Murphy, J.D. and Daniel V. Schidlow, M.D., who are stepping down from the Boards. “I would like to thank Ms. Murphy and Dr. Schidlow for their years of dedication to ECFMG and FAIMER,” Dr. Filak said. “Their experience and expertise have helped lead us through a time of growth and change, and we are grateful for their service.”

FAIMER Research Scientist Marta van Zanten Authors Two Papers on Accreditation Issues

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories accreditation, FAIMER staff, publicationsTags ,

FAIMER Research Scientist Marta van Zanten recently authored two papers on accreditation issues. This research advances the FAIMER goals of maintaining accurate, publicly-available data resources that promote an understanding of the world’s health professions education systems and helping to inform Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) policy.

The first paper, written in conjunction with partners at Johns Hopkins, is entitled Describing the evidence-base for accreditation in undergraduate medical education internationally: A scoping review. The authors evaluated over 1,000 abstracts and subsequently read over 200 full text articles for possible inclusion in this scoping review. Of the full text articles reviewed, 36 met the criteria of scholarship on the topic and 85 were classified as non-scholarship. This manuscript summarizes the findings of these articles and provides an analysis of some of the difficulties in conducting research in this domain. These results can be used to guide best practices in accreditation, recommend areas for future research, and inform preparations for ECFMG’s 2023 accreditation requirement.

Paper citation:  Tackett, Sean MD, MPH; Zhang, Christiana MD; Nassery, Najlla MD, MPH; Caufield-Noll, Christine MLIS, AHIP; van Zanten, Marta PhD, Med, Academic Medicine: December 2019 – Volume 94 – Issue 12 – p 1995-2008.

More information can be found here: https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Abstract/2019/12000/Describing_the_Evidence_Base_for_Accreditation_in.39.aspx

A copy of the article can be requested from mvanzanten@faimer.org.

The second paper, entitled Using DEQAR data to enhance the World Directory of Medical Schools, compares World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) Recognition Program results and related medical school accreditation data with European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) accreditation data.  The purpose of this study was to review accreditation data included in the Database of External Quality Assurance Results (DEQAR) to help inform planned enhancements to the World Directory of Medical Schools. The search of DEQAR revealed 109 non-expired evaluation or accreditation reports from 91 higher education institutions or programs located in 21 countries that provide undergraduate (basic) medical education. Three accrediting agencies are included in DEQAR and recognized by WFME. These results will help inform planned enhancements to the World Directory of Medical Schools, including addition of accreditation data at the school level beginning in 2020.

Dr. van Zanten recently presented this paper at the Database of External Quality Assurance Results (DEQAR) Conference and European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) Members’ Dialogue, October 2019, in Madrid, Spain, and it is published on the EQAR website: https://cloud.eqar.eu/s/3GDReeJTrGQBH5e#pdfviewer.

2020 Calendar Created by Page Morahan in Support of FAIMER

Author J DrendallPosted on Categories supporting FAIMERTags ,

Page Morahan, Founding Co-Director of the FAIMER Institute, has created a 2020 calendar in support of FAIMER, featuring images of butterflies from around the world. Most of the photographs included were taken at butterfly parks, and a few were taken during her travels on behalf of FAIMER. All proceeds support FAIMER’s vision to improve the health of communities through improving health professions education.

Dr. Morahan’s calendar is available for purchase through her online store in two formats: wall and desktop/CD case. “This calendar honors those health professions educators who are so dedicated to developing the skills and knowledge of students and caring for their patients,” she says.