Global Services Frequently Asked Questions

What is Global Services?

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) established Global Services to assist non-US entities with post-graduate medical education (PGME) accreditation efforts through advisory, educational resources, training, and operational services.

Why did the ACGME create Global Services?

Global Services was created to support the ACGME’s mission of improving health care and population health by assessing and enhancing the quality of resident and fellow physicians’ education through advancements in accreditation and education. Specifically, Global Services was created to advance this mission outside of the United States.

What organizations and institutions can be helped by Global Services?

Global Services works with a variety of organizations and institutions, including:

• Institutions that desire to sponsor new or enhance existing PGME programs but are not interested in ACGME-I accreditation
• National governmental and non-governmental organizations that would like to either enhance their current PGME accreditation activities or initiate new national PGME accreditation programs
• Regional organizations interested in establishing, expanding, or enhancing PGME throughout their region

Who can Global Services help?

Global Services addresses a broad continuum of accreditation services development, including:

• Systems with well-developed accreditation models
• Systems just beginning the process of developing accreditation models
• Systems that are not currently interested in developing formal accreditation, but that may have related needs for services

Can Global Services help organizations in parts of the world where the accreditation system is not the same as in the United States?

Yes. Global Services understands that approaches to accreditation differ from country to country and, in some cases, within different areas of a country. Global Services can provide advisory services, training, and operational support in various situations, including those in which the accreditation setup is significantly different than in the United States.

Does Global Services provide education and research related to PGME?

Global Services offers a variety of educational programs, training, and workshops tailored to the needs of PGME programs outside of the United States and the organizations that accredit them.

Studies and resources developed from the ACGME’s experience and initiatives in the United States are available on the ACGME and the Journal of Graduate Medical Education websites.

Some areas to consider exploring:

• Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) Program
• Learn at ACGME
• Physician Well-Being
• Journal of Graduate Medical Education
• Faculty development courses

Can Global Services help with other areas of health professions training?

Yes. Global Services has successfully partnered with multiple organizations to address education and training needs beyond PGME. Contact the Global Services team for more information.

Does Global Services accredit institutions or programs?

No. Global Services does not accredit programs or institutions. ACGME International (ACGME-I) is an accrediting body for PGME programs outside of the United States, but ACGME-I is an independent corporation and not a part of the ACGME or Global Services.

Does Global Services certify individual medical graduates?

No. Global Services does not certify medical graduates. In the United States, medical graduates are certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and related ABMS member specialty boards, and by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and related AOA specialty certifying boards.

What areas of expertise does Global Services have?

Drawing on the experience of the ACGME, which accredits over 12,000 programs, Global Services can provide accreditation structure, systems, and processes that are tailored to local customs and norms. The Global Services knowledge base includes accreditation standards; the Milestones and assessment; physician well-being; and underlying principles of PGME, including mentoring, minimizing conflicts of interest, gradual, supervised progression of autonomy, and safe, effective clinical learning environment systems.

How does one start a conversation with Global Services?