Analysis of accreditation standards for undergraduate medical studies in Serbia through the lens of the National Health Workforce Accounts

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.21203/rs.3.rs-64019/v3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Biljana Buljugic ◽

Milena Santric Milicevic

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

Workforce Development ◽

Social Determinants ◽

Health Workforce ◽

Education And Training ◽

Medical Studies ◽

National Accreditation ◽

Accreditation Standards ◽

Health Workforce Development ◽

And Training

Abstract Background Understanding the importance of educational accreditation standards for health workforce policymaking is needed more than ever, given the growth of physicians' shortage, circulation, cross-border care. The World Health Organization National Health Workforce Accounts (WHO-NHWA) for education and training could support medical education accreditation goals. Objective The aim of the study was to show the compliance of the Serbian national accreditation standards for undergraduate medical education with the WHO-NHWA indicators for accreditation of education and training of the health workforce. The study highlights the relevance of education accreditation to health workforce development.Methods Based on a review of the official documents, laws, and regulations for national accreditation of medical studies in Serbia, we described the current accreditation standards of the most prominent faculty of medicine in Serbia, the Faculty of Medicine University of Belgrade (FMUB), and compared them with the WHO-NHWA indicators on education and training. Results The national accreditation standards partly match the WHO-NHWA indicators for accreditation of education and training. National standards concentrate on education quality while overlooking social determinants of health and social accountability. Over the last nine years, the freshmen enrollment has a downward trend, and the average duration of a six-year undergraduate study of medicine was 7.2 ± 0.4 years.Conclusion Social accountability and social determinants must be priority standards in future accreditation. Health workforce organizations, civil society, and the community should participate in regulatory bodies for accreditation to establish the appropriate basis for socially accountable and interprofessional education. If applied at the institutional, local, and national levels, the WHO-NHWA indicator system can support medical studies' alignment with the strategy/plan of the health care and health workforce development.

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Analysis of accreditation standards for undergraduate medical studies in Serbia through the lens of the National Health Workforce Accounts

10.21203/rs.3.rs-64019/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Biljana Buljugic ◽

Milena Santric Milicevic

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

National Health ◽

Social Determinants ◽

Health Workforce ◽

Professional Education ◽

Education And Training ◽

Medical Studies ◽

Accreditation Standards ◽

And Training

Abstract BackgroundUnderstanding the importance of educational accreditation standards for health and health workforce policymaking is needed more than ever given the growing circulation of physicians, cross-border care and population needs. The World Health Organization National Health Workforce Accounts (WHO/NHWA) for education and training could support the achievement of health care quality through health workforce strategies. ObjectiveTo assess the effect of the accreditation standards on the quality of undergraduate medical studies and to assess their potential to support quality improvement in health workforce education and health policy planning.MethodsStudy design is based on a multimodal approach revealing the qualitative (review of official documents, two internal reports on accreditation, literature) and quantitative data (descriptive analysis, 2010-2018) as resources for evaluation of the national accreditation standards, and mapping with WHO/NHWA indicators on education and training for medical undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine University of Belgrade, Serbia (FMUB).ResultsThe mechanism of compulsory accreditation implies standards for the quality of education (except for inter-professional education). The standards partially cover social determinants and social accountability. Students participate optionally in the adoption of regulations. Like health managers who are also providers of student training during their studies, students participate in FMUB accreditation surveys. Based on the reports from two accreditation cycles, the satisfaction of graduates and employers with the quality of undergraduate medical studies has been partially improved. The downward trend in freshman enrollment has been observed for last nine years. The average duration of a six-year undergraduate study of medicine was extended to 7.2 ± 0.4 years.Conclusion Social accountability and social determinants must be taken as priority standards in the future revisions of accreditation mechanism in order to improve communication, organizational skills and independent work of medical students. Health workforce organizations, civil society and the community should participate in regulatory bodies for accreditation to establish the basis for socially accountable and inter-professional education. If applied at the institutional, local and national levels, the WHO/NHWA indicator system can support the alignment of higher education standards and plans with the standards and strategy/plan of the health care and health workforce.

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Analysis of accreditation standards for undergraduate medical studies in Serbia through the lens of the National Health Workforce Accounts

10.21203/rs.3.rs-64019/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Biljana Buljugic ◽

Milena Santric Milicevic

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Analysis ◽

National Health ◽

Health Workforce ◽

Interprofessional Education ◽

Education And Training ◽

Medical Studies ◽

Education Standards ◽

Accreditation Standards ◽

And Training

Abstract Background Understanding the importance of educational accreditation standards for health and health workforce policymaking is needed more than ever given the growing circulation of physicians, cross-border care and pandemics. The World Health Organization National Health Workforce Accounts (NHWA) for education and training could support the achievement of health care quality through health workforce strategies.Objective To perform a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the effect of accreditation standards on undergraduate medical studies through the lens of NHWA indicators on education and training, and to assess their potential to support quality improvement in health workforce education and health policy planning.Methods Accreditation standards for medical undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine University of Belgrade, Serbia (FMUB) were analyzed using the NHWA indicators on education and training, in addition to the results of surveys of students and employers on the quality of accredited study programs in 2013 and 2016.Results Compulsory accreditation mechanism entails standards for the quality of education at FMUB including continuing professional development and in-service training but not for interprofessional education. Standards partly cover social determinants and social accountability. Students optionally participate in regulatory making. Alike healthcare managers who also serve as providers for training placement for students during the studies, students take part in FMUB accreditation surveys. Based on the results of the survey, the quality of undergraduate medical studies at FMUB has slightly improved from 2013 to 2016. A ten-year quantitative analysis showed a declining trend in freshman enrollment. The average duration of a six-year undergraduate study of medicine is extended to 7.2 ± 0.4 years.Conclusion For improving medical students' practical, organizational skills and independent work, as well as social accountability, and social determinants must be taken as priority standards in the future revisions of accreditation mechanism in Serbia. Health workforce organizations, civil society and the community should participate in accreditation regulatory bodies for establishing a foundation for socially accountable and interprofessional education. If implemented at institutional, local and national level, system of NHWA indicators can support the alignment of higher education standards and plans with the national health and health workforce standards and strategy/plan.

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