The potential impact of the revision of the Basic World Federation Medical Education Standards

Background: The World Federation of Medical Education has released a revised version of their Basic Medical Education Standards. This paper compares the original and revised versions following an external review of a medical school based on the original version, and indicates potential implications of the changes for making judgements about the quality of medical education. Methods: A comparative analysis was conducted of the original and revised standards, producing a list of changes, through either "strengthened" or "new" standards or guidance for their interpretation. The potential impact of the changes on the writing of a report for this external review was then considered. Results: The revised standards have more specific requirements for curriculum design, clinical placements, research training and the support and participation of students. In order to meet the revised standards, medical schools may need to invest substantially in acquiring in-house medical education expertise and better prepared teaching and research staff. Conclusion: The bar appears to have been raised substantially in the revised standards document. While individually the changes appear sound, the overall impact, particularly in the developing world, may be substantial