Accreditations
Our international medical school accreditation is an important quality indicator that validates the quality of our educational programs. It also provides our diverse student body with the requisite credentials needed by graduates of foreign medical schools to practice in many countries.
OUM Is An Internationally Accredited Medical School
OUM’s MD program is accredited by an international agency and recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), which enables graduates to apply to practice medicine in many countries throughout the world.
In April 2024, the WFME granted the Philippine Accrediting Association for Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU) recognition status for its accreditation of OUM in Samoa. This recognition ensures OUM’s global standing and retains opportunities for its graduates, ensuring their degrees are internationally recognized.
PAASCU and the Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement indicating that SQA recognizes PAASCU’s accreditation of OUM.
OUM satisfies the United States requirement that graduates of international medical schools who plan to practice in the US must earn their degree from a medical school whose accrediting body is recognized by WFME.
What Is Accreditation?
Medical school accreditation standards demonstrate that an institution has met rigorous qualifications, providing confidence that its curriculum is comparable to other well-established medical schools.
In addition to being an important quality indicator, many countries require that medical graduates applying for licensure in their jurisdictions earn their degrees from institutions with recognized medical school accreditation.
Who Accredits OUM?
OUM was first accredited in 2010 by PAASCU, which at the time was one of the 21 medical school accrediting bodies worldwide deemed by the US Department of Education’s National Committee for Foreign Medical Education Accreditation (NCFMEA) to have standards comparable to those of the USA. That accreditation was renewed in 2015 and is valid through April 2025.
In 2018, the NCFMEA announced new criteria and PAASCU was required to undergo further accreditation of its own, before the end of 2024, for its accreditation of OUM to remain valid. As of April 6, 2024, PAASCU has been awarded Recognition Status through April 2033, pending annual monitoring of continued compliance. This Recognition Status is awarded for the Philippines and Samoa, as follows: “WFME Recognition Status confirms that the World Federation For Medical Education (WFME) is satisfied with the accreditation process, post-accreditation monitoring, and decision-making process of the PAASCU as it relates to basic medical education schools or programs. WFME Recognition Status of an agency confers the understanding that the quality of medical education in its accredited schools is to an appropriate and rigorous standard.”
If you have questions or would like more information about OUM’s MD Program, please reach out to our admissions counselors by emailing [email protected]