Dr Javaid Sheikh (left), Dean of WCM-Q, and Dr Thurayya Arayssi with WCM-Q’s Continuing Professional Development team.
Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) has become the first institution in GCC to receive accreditation to provide continuing medical education for physicians from one of America’s top accreditation body.
The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) provides accreditation to US institutions that are able to demonstrate exceptionally high standards in the continuing medical education programmes (CME) they offer to improve physician performance and medical care for patients in their communities.
There are approximately 2,000 ACCME accredited CME organisations across the US, where the body is recognised as the national model in its field, but until recently accreditation was not available to institutions outside the US. WCM-Q has become the very first institution in the GCC to receive the same accreditation and to have the rights and responsibility to designate AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award). In addition, WCM-Q is the first institution in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to receive ACCME accreditation.
At a ceremony held to announce the accreditation success, WCM-Q Dean Dr Javaid Sheikh said, “This milestone is a recognition of the commitment of WCM-Q and its dedicated faculty and staff to a high quality health education in adherence with international best practices. It is also an international recognition of the quality and value of programmes being offered by WCM-Q to help physicians and health care practitioners locally, regionally and internationally to continually improve their skills and knowledge so that they can provide the very best standards of healthcare to their patients.”
WCM-Q also has accreditation to provide continuing medical education and continuing professional development from the Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners.
Dr Sheikh also appreciated the work of WCM-Q’s Division of Continuing Professional Development, which led the college’s accreditation application. The decision by the ACCME was determined by a review of a self-study report produced by the CPD team, evidence of performance-in-practice, and participation in an accreditation interview.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Thurayya Arayssi, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development, and her dedicated team for the role they played in achieving this milestone,” he said.
