Projects

Pursing the ACGME’s mission beyond US borders, ACGME Global Services collaborates with national and regional institutions and governments to better prepare physicians to deliver high-quality, locally relevant health care by developing or enhancing post-graduate medical education (PGME) in their respective regions or countries.

Singapore

The Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) conducted a study of its graduate medical training system in 2006 and 2007 when it recognized a need for change due to factors such as an increase in health services demands from a growing and aging population. Several concerns about its existing apprenticeship model were identified, including the training structure, the increase in the number of trainees, supervision, and protected time for training.

In 2009, the MOH collaborated with the ACGME to develop a structured national residency program, incorporating accreditation by the newly established ACGME International (ACGME-I), to expand the availability of well-trained physicians to meet Singapore's health care needs.

With the value of its new residency post-graduate training system, including accreditation, now enshrined into its PGME system, Singapore began pursuing the creation of its own national accreditation system a decade later. ACGME Global Services is assisting the MOH in developing and transitioning to the new Accreditation of Postgraduate Medical Education Singapore (APMES) system through:

• Collaborating on the design of the accreditation model, which includes a pathway for programs to advance to formative continuing accreditation, aligned with international best practices, while recognizing Singapore’s unique environment and needs.
• Developing detailed policies and procedures for site visits and accreditation reviews.
• Training of program directors, site visitors, and Review Committee members.
• Facilitating the transition of existing programs to APMES through participation in initial site visits and program reviews.