World Directory of Medical Schools
{{Short description|International database on medical education}}
The World Directory of Medical Schools is a public database of institutions that provide medical education.{{cite journal|last1=Duvivier|first1=Robbert J|last2=Boulet|first2=John R|last3=Opalek|first3=Amy|last4=van Zanten|first4=Marta|last5=Norcini|first5=John|title=Overview of the world's medical schools: an update|journal=Medical Education|date=September 2014|volume=48|issue=9|pages=860–869|doi=10.1111/medu.12499|pmid=25113113|s2cid=206186735 }} There are over 4,100 medical schools listed in the directory. The directory is published as a collaboration of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER).{{cite web |url=http://www.wdoms.org/about/|title=About the World Directory |publisher=World Directory of Medical Schools |accessdate=17 April 2017}}
Database
For the database, a "medical school" is defined as an "educational institution that provides a complete or full program of instruction leading to basic medical qualification; that is, a qualification that permits the holder to obtain a license to practice as a medical doctor or physician". {{asof|2025|post=,}} the database has records for more than 4,100 medical schools that are operational and more than 200 that have ceased to be operational.{{Cite web|url=http://ecahe.eu/world-directory-medical-schools/|title=World Directory of Medical Schools – ECA |publisher=European Consortium for Accreditation |website=ecahe.eu|language=en|access-date=17 April 2017}}
It was created by merging WMFE's AVICENNA Directory for Medicine with FAIMER's International Medical Education Directory (IMED) to produce a single comprehensive resource, including the schools in each of the prior directories.{{cite web |url=http://www.ecfmg.org/news/2012/08/21/faimer-and-wfme-to-collaborate-on-combined-medical-school-directory/#sthash.W0VUVtPD.dpuf |title=FAIMER and WFME to Collaborate on Combined Medical School Directory |publisher= Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates |accessdate=2014-11-07}}
History
The World Health Organization (WHO) originally published the World Directory of Medical Schools from 1953 to 2007 before transferring responsibility to the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), which renamed it the AVICENNA Directory for Medicine. A separate International Medical Education Directory (IMED) was published by the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) since 2002. In March 2012, the AVICENNA and IMED directories agreed to merge into a single comprehensive directory.{{cite web |url=http://wdoms.org/history/ |title=History of the World Directory of Medical Schools |publisher= World Federation for Medical Education and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research |accessdate=2014-11-03}} The new World Directory of Medical Schools officially launched in April 2014, managed by both WFME and FAIMER.{{cite web
|url= https://www.faimer.org/news/category/world-directory-of-medical-schools/#:~:text=The%20World%20Directory%20of%20Medical%20Schools%20%28World%20Directory%29,single%20comprehensive%20resource%20on%20undergraduate%20medical%20education%20worldwide.
|title =WFME and FAIMER Staff Publish Article about the World Directory of Medical Schools
|date = 9 January 2017
|access-date = 8 May 2021
|publisher = FAIMER
}}
The AVICENNA and IMED directories were subsequently discontinued.{{cite press release |url=http://www.faimer.org/announcements/wdoms-press-release-apr42014.pdf |title=FAIMER® and WFME Announce the Launch of the World Directory of Medical Schools |publisher=Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research |accessdate=2014-10-30}}
Sponsors
The major sponsors are the Australian Medical Council, Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, and the Medical Council of Canada.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wdoms.org/sponsors/|title=World Directory of Medical Schools {{!}} Sponsors |publisher=World Directory of Medical Schools |website=wdoms.org|language=en |date=6 December 2016|access-date=17 April 2017}}
References
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External links
- {{Official website|https://www.wdoms.org}}
- [https://wfme.org WFME website]
- [https://www.faimer.org FAIMER website]