In early 2007, a new resource will be available on the FAIMER website. A Postgraduate Medical Education Directory (PMED) will provide information on formal medical education beyond the basic medical school curriculum on a country by country basis.
For each country, the directory will provide:
- A narrative overview of PME,
- listings of the medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties,
- the duration of training, and
- the number of training programs and positions available.
There will also be information regarding:
- oversight of training programs,
- methods of application and selection, and
- examinations leading to registration, certification, and/or licensure.
Other categories of data will also be provided, including:
- listings and links to professional medical, educational, and oversight organizations, and
- articles and references regarding PME.
The directory should provide valuable information to a variety of users. Medical educators can compare PME in their country with other countries around the world, assessing equivalency of training. Data in the directory could serve as a stimulus for refinement or implementation of elements of PME based on models in place in other countries. Researchers and policymakers in the area of medical workforce could also find this information quite useful. Students and junior doctors seeking particular specialty training could determine where training is available and gain knowledge of the admissions and selection processes.
Compilation of all this information is a work in progress and will continue to be so once PMED is available.
FAIMER continues to seek individuals to contribute to PMED. To provide the kind of data and information that will appear in PMED, contributors must have broad knowledge of PME at the national level within their country. Individuals who believe that they may have the appropriate knowledge of PME in their country can actually participate in this effort right now by using this link to complete an on‑line survey. This survey data will be reviewed and, once verified, added to the growing database.
There is a special need for individuals who can provide narrative descriptions of their country’s PME. If you feel that you could help in this area, contact the PMED developers at inquiry@faimer.org.
