On Quality of Medical Education
We live in a world that is dominated by technological advances in communications. New findings
and discoveries in the medical field are generated so fast that we have to use communication
strategies in order to obtain information in an effective way. In this regard, electronic and digital
journals are dominating. In January 2013 our University published its medical journal "Mexican
Journal of Medical Research". It is my great honor and pleasure to present the publication number
2 of this journal which contains the following articles: Prevalence and Association between
Depression and Familiar Dysfunction; Bioindicators and Biomarkers; Antinociceptive and antiinflammatory
activities of Curcumin; the report of cases of Erythroderma caused by vancomycin in
children: concentration and speed of infusion; and the Prevalence, Impact and Treatment of
Primary Dysmenorrhea in Workers of an Academic and Research Institute. These articles will
increase scientific knowledge in the area of health and serve as a means of update for clinicians. In
addition, it is a requirement for the doctor to keep up updated, in order to always provide quality
care.The demand for quality is increasing all over the world, in this case the preparation of health
professionals is emphasized since the intervention subjects are human beings.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) highlights the
education needs: “The emerging knowledge society requires a response to differentiated needs
and to growing diverse demands for quality and relevance”1. In simple terms, it means that
universities that pursuit quality need toperform what they have to do without forgetting its social
commitment, but how to make sure that universities fulfill their mission and vision? This can be
verified with an organized, methodical and scientific external evaluation.
In the case of Medical Education, it is important to remember that the practice of medicine is
dynamic and continues to evolve.Medical education is a continuous learning process that begins
with admission to the Medical School and perhaps ends with retirement or death. Its aim is to
prepare doctors in order to apply the latest scientific discoveries related to prevent and treat
diseases that affect human beings and which are constantly changing according to the
epidemiological profiles. Medical Education also includes ethical standards of doctors’ behavior.
Thus, accreditation of the quality of Medical Education represents service quality.
The accreditation of undergraduate programs in the medical field is the starting point in Mexico.
Since 1991, the Mexican Association of Colleges and Schools of Medicine (in Spanish: Asociación
Mexicana de Facultades y Escuelas de Medicina, AMFEM) establishes the "Program of Medical
Education Quality" (in Spanish: Programa de Calidad de la Educación Médica), and in 1996
performed the first accreditation.
The creation of a body for accrediting bodies with specific regulations motivated the separationof
the accrediting function of AMFEM and in 2002 was created the Mexican Council for Accreditation
of Medical Education (in Spanish: Consejo Mexicano para la Acreditación de la Educación Médica,
COMAEM).
A study shows that students from schools or accredited medical schools are more likely to pass the
United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)2.
On one hand, challenges are to maintain quality levels and if possible, overcome them. On the
other hand, there is pressure for international accreditation, which for sure will impose other
requirements that institutions and medical schools must attend. Therefore, the purpose of this
journal is to increase quality in our Medical School as well as to propose solutions for the clinical
practice of medicine.
1 UNESCO. World Conference on Higher Education. Higher Education in the Twenty-first Century. Paris: UNESCO; 1998
2 Van Zanten M, McKinley D, Durante Montiel I, Pijano CV. Medical education accreditation in Mexico and the Philippines: impact on student outcomes. Med Educ. 2012; 46: 586-92.
Humberto Augusto Veras Godoy, M.H.A.
President