FAQ

What is GMDC Accreditation?

GMDC Accreditation is a review process and status of quality within higher educational medical institutions and programmes in Grenada. It evaluates and ascertains the presence and level of quality within a medical educational institution or programme, through a comprehensive review process. To evaluate this quality, GMDC focuses on the institutional settings, curriculum, students, academic environment, faculty and institutional effectiveness. This quality control process occurs every 5-8 years.

What does being GMDC accredited means?

Being GMDC accredited means that a higher educational institution and programme in Grenada has been assessed and evaluated by GMDC, who validated their credibility against pre-established standards.

Why is accreditation important?

  • GMDC Accreditation assures the public, applicant and students, employers, government agencies, regulatory bodies and professional groups that a medical educational program, leading to an MD degree or related qualification, meets accepted standards of quality for educational process and student outcomes.
  • GMDC Accreditation encourages medical education programmes to bolster their internal quality assurance mechanisms and to review their own operations (self-study) for continuous improvement in quality and accountability.
  • Accreditation affords the opportunity for an independent agency, such as GMDC to provide guidance to new and current educational institutions and programmes, based on noted trends in quality assurance.
  • As per the Health Practitioners Act 2010, and the Health Practitioners Amendment Act 2019, a medical doctor degree programme must be accredited by GMDC in order to legally operate in the State of Grenada.

What is meant by accreditation standards?

Accreditation standards are the criteria GMDC uses to assess critical aspects of acceptable quality of medical educational programmes.

What accreditation standards GMDC uses to accredit Medical educational programmes?

GMDC has established six accreditation themes to determine whether a medical education programme leading to a medical degree is eligible to be accredited. Theme 1: Institutional Setting; Theme 2: Curriculum; Theme 3: Students, Theme 4: Academic environment; Theme 5: Faculty; and Theme 6: Institutional Effectiveness. The standards of accreditation are organized under these six broad themes. For more information see Accreditation standardsdocuments.

How long has GMDC been in existence?

The Health Practitioners Act (“the Act”), enacted in 2010, established the Grenada Medical and Dental Council (“GMDC” or “the Governing Body”) as the entity responsible to oversee and “confer with educational institutions with respect to the education of persons in the practice of the medical or dental profession” and “to promote high standards in the practice of medicine and dentistry” in Grenada. The Minister of Health and Minister of Education took action to authorise GMDC to accredit professional medical schools located in Grenada. The Health Practitioners (Amendment) Act of 2019 (“Amendment Act”) formally gives GMDC authority to review and accredit medical doctor degree programmes in Grenada. The Amendment Act took effect on December 5, 2019 and was Gazetted on December 16, 2019.

Who GMDC accredits?

GMDC reviews and accredits medical schools/education institution and programmes operating in Grenada. Currently, St. George’s University School of Medicine (SGUSOM) medical education programme is accredited by GMDC.

Does GMDC accredit other medical education degree programs?

No, presently, GMDC has the mandate to accredit only medical doctor degree programmes in Grenada.

Does GMDC accredit international medical schools?

No, the Health Practitioners (Amendment) Act of 2019 (“Amendment Act”) formally gives GMDC authority to solely review and accredit medical doctor degree programmes in Grenada.

How long is the GMDC accreditation period for?

A school applying for initial accreditation will be granted an accreditation period of five (5) years and eight (8) years every subsequent full review, once they are met the expectations and standards. In the event of extenuating circumstances, such as a natural disaster or a pandemic, the accreditation period may be extended for up to two (2) years.

How long will it take for a school to become accredited?

The amount of time it will take a school to earn accreditation depends largely on how long the medical school takes to submit application and other related documents requested by GDMC. On average, we observe that schools take about three years to earn GMDC ‘s Accreditation.

Who recognize GMDC?

GMDC is recognized by the Government of Grenada, the U.S. Department of Education through the NCFMEA, and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) as the authority for the accreditation of medical education programs leading to a medical doctor degree.

What does WFME Recognition mean as it relates to GMDC?

WFME recognition means that GMDC’s standards are at an internationally accepted level and the quality of GMDC’s accreditation process of medical schools is at an appropriate level. WFME recognition also means that physicians graduating from a GMDC-accredited medical school can practice medicine in the US.

Can a student who attends a school accredited by GMDC be allowed to practice in the US?

Yes, WFME recognition of GMDC means that physicians graduating from a GMDC-accredited medical school can practice medicine in the US and Canada.

How can a medical school become accredited?

  1. Apply for and obtain authorization to do so from the Government of Grenada in accordance with the Accreditation Act #15, 2011, and then apply for candidacy from GMDC.
  2. An applicant program or institution must submit a written request to GMDC’s Executive Director of the Accreditation Secretariat.
  3. Submit documentation demonstrating that, at the time of its application, the medical programme (i) has continuously enrolled students for a period of ten (10) years or more and (ii) has been accredited for at least five (5) years by an accrediting body that is part 9 of a national accreditation system approved by the NCFMEA or any other higher education legislative organisation/committee responsible for higher education/medical education.
  4. Submit an institutional self-study to GMDC.
  5. Submit a complete data collection instrument (DCI) to GMDC or any other information requested by GMDC.
  6. Cooperate with GMDC and its site visitors, for review team(s) to conduct on-site and/or virtual evaluation visits of the medical school’s main campus and selected clinical sites.

Am I eligible to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) if I attend a GMDC accredited Medical Programme?

Yes, GMDC has met the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) accreditation eligibility requirements by having WFME recognition status. Therefore, graduates from GMDC-accredited Medical school can write the USMLE.

Am I eligible to apply to ACGME accredited residency programs if I attend a medical school accredited by GMDC?

Yes, GMDC is recognized by WFME. Hence, graduates from GMDC accredited medical programmes are eligible for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

How can I register a complaint to GMDC about a medical school or programme?

A complaint can be filed using GMDC’s website: https://gmdc.gd

You are required to provide a written statement outlining your concerns and how those concerns indicate possible noncompliance with one or more of the GMDC Accreditation Standards. Describe how the complainant has attempted to resolve the matter using the medical school’s stated complaint or grievance procedures, and provide your name and contact (email, mailing address, and telephone number).

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