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WCM-Q becomes first MENA institution to gain accreditation from top US body

Front row: Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dean of WCM-Q, and Dr. Thurayya Arayssi with WCM-Q’s Continuing Professional Development team.
Front row: Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dean of WCM-Q, and Dr. Thurayya Arayssi with WCM-Q’s Continuing Professional Development team.

Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar has become first institution in the GCC to receive accreditation to provide continuing medical education for physicians from 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 programs (CME) they offer to improve physician performance and medical care for patients in their communities.

There are approximately 2,000 ACCME accredited CME organizations across the US, where the body is recognized as the national model in its field, but until recently accreditation was not available to institutions outside the US. Now WCM-Q has become the very first institution in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region 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 whole of 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 programs being offered by WCM-Q to help physicians and healthcare 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 paid tribute to 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.

Dr. Sheikh added: “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.”

Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc, President and CEO, Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®), said: “I am delighted to welcome Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar to our community of accredited providers. With this achievement, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar has demonstrated its leadership as a learning organization and its commitment to providing independent, relevant, practice-based, effective education that serves the continuing professional development needs of healthcare professionals. We look forward to working together to make a difference and support healthcare improvement in Qatar and around the world.”

A culture of high quality CME is regarded as an essential part of any modern healthcare system because it provides rigorous standards of best practice for physicians which are continually updated to keep pace with developments in medical science.

WCM-Q’s Division of Continuing Professional Development organizes a variety of learning opportunities such as workshops, seminars and lectures for members of the healthcare community in Qatar, both within and beyond WCM-Q.

Dr. Arayssi said: “We are very pleased and proud to become one of the first institutions outside of the US to receive ACCME accreditation. I am very thankful to my team for their hard work and dedication, and to all members of our faculty and the wider healthcare community who have contributed to our continuing medical education events.”