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Accreditation
Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education (CACME)
The Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education (CACME) accredits the Continuing Medical Education/Continuing Professional Development (CME/CPD) offices of all Canadian faculties of medicine.
The current accreditation standards used by CACME were introduced in 2005. There are 15 standards, which cover a wide array of administrative, educational and research issues. They are divided into four categories:
- Responding to societal needs
- Organization and administration
- Provision of educational services
- Research and innovation
Each standard includes evaluation criteria to determine one of four levels of compliance: non-compliance, partial compliance, compliance or exemplary compliance.
CACME is an independent committee with representation from and appointed by:
- the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC);
- the Canadian Medical Association;
- the Collège des médecins du Québec;
- the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada;
- the College of Family Physicians of Canada; and
- the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada.
Each university CME/CPD office is subject to a periodic accreditation survey visit by two to three assessors, each of whom is experienced in academic or association CME/CPD. The visits last two days and are comprised of a series of interviews with key stakeholders in the office, including the dean of the faculty, office administrators, and physicians who have attended the office’s education activities.
Based on the survey teams’ reports, which include decisions on the level of compliance for each standard, CACME determines the offices’ terms of accreditation, which can be for a maximum of five years. Interim progress reports are often requested to address areas deemed to be partially or non-compliant.
Other activities of CACME include contributing to the advancement of CME/CPD standards generally in Canada and liaising with other CME/CPD accreditation bodies, including the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education in the United States.
The secretariat of CACME is housed at the office of AFMC, and the president and CEO of AFMC or his/her delegate serves as the committee’s secretary. The committee meets twice yearly.
