Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Oct-Dec;7(4):188-200.
doi: 10.4103/IJCIIS.IJCIIS_65_17.

A Comprehensive Framework for International Medical Programs: A 2017 consensus statement from the American College of Academic International Medicine

Manish Garg  1 , Gregory L Peck  2 , Bonnie Arquilla  3 , Andrew C Miller  4 , Sari E Soghoian  5 , Harry L Anderson Iii  6 , Christina Bloem  3 , Michael S Firstenberg  7 , Sagar C Galwankar  8 , Weidun Alan Guo  9 , Ricardo Izurieta  10 , Elizabeth Krebs  11 , Bhakti Hansoti  12 , Sudip Nanda  13 , Chinenye O Nwachuku  13 , Benedict Nwomeh  14 , Lorenzo Paladino  3 , Thomas J Papadimos  15 , Richard P Sharpe  16 , Mamta Swaroop  17 , Stanislaw P Stawicki  13 ; ACAIM Consensus Group on International Medical Programs
Affiliations

A Comprehensive Framework for International Medical Programs: A 2017 consensus statement from the American College of Academic International Medicine

Manish Garg et al. Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci. 2017 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

The American College of Academic International Medicine (ACAIM) represents a group of clinicians who seek to promote clinical, educational, and scientific collaboration in the area of Academic International Medicine (AIM) to address health care disparities and improve patient care and outcomes globally. Significant health care delivery and quality gaps persist between high-income countries (HICs) and low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). International Medical Programs (IMPs) are an important mechanism for addressing these inequalities. IMPs are international partnerships that primarily use education and training-based interventions to build sustainable clinical capacity. Within this overall context, a comprehensive framework for IMPs (CFIMPs) is needed to assist HICs and LMICs navigate the development of IMPs. The aim of this consensus statement is to highlight best practices and engage the global community in ACAIM's mission. Through this work, we highlight key aspects of IMPs including: (1) the structure; (2) core principles for successful and ethical development; (3) information technology; (4) medical education and training; (5) research and scientific investigation; and (6) program durability. The ultimate goal of current initiatives is to create a foundation upon which ACAIM and other organizations can begin to formalize a truly global network of clinical education/training and care delivery sites, with long-term sustainability as the primary pillar of international inter-institutional collaborations.

Keywords: Academic International Medicine; International Medical Programs; The American College of Academic International Medicine; comprehensive framework for international medical programs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Definitions of Academic International Medicine and International Medical Programs
Figure 2
Figure 2
International Medical Program structure organized by personnel needs and competencies. Trainees are integral to the model as they supply an expanded work force that can advance to a personnel role. Trainees also shape and are educated via the competencies. Partnerships should designate and create site-specific structure for sustainability and academic validity[11]
Figure 3
Figure 3
The continuum of cultural competence. International Medical Programs should strive to embrace bi-directional mastery within each domain[12]
Figure 4
Figure 4
The continuum of intercultural sensitivity. International Medical Programs should embrace bidirectional ethnorelativism[17]
Figure 5
Figure 5
The value of International Medical Programs and Academic International Medicine to trainees
Figure 6
Figure 6
American College of Academic International Medicine International Medical Program strategic planning initiatives
Figure 7
Figure 7
Key factors critical to International Medical Program viability. Each of the color-coded phases may take between 1-2 years to complete
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Larkan F, Uduma O, Lawal SA, van Bavel B. Developing a framework for successful research partnerships in global health. Global Health. 2016;12:17. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Crump JA, Sugarman J. Working Group on Ethics Guidelines for Global Health Training (WEIGHT). Ethics and best practice guidelines for training experiences in global health. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010;83:1178–82. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bhutta ZA. Ethics in international health research: A perspective from the developing world. Bull World Health Organ. 2002;80:114–20. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Anderson HL, 3rd, Arquilla B, Firstenberg MS, Garg M, Galwankar SC, Gracias VH, et al. Mission statement of the American College of Academic International Medicine. Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci. 2017;7:3–7. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Philibert I. International medical education outreach: Benefits for US medical education and practice: An interview with Joseph Kolars, MD. J Grad Med Educ. 2009;1:162–3. - PMC - PubMed