Formation and Operation of a Regulator/Administrator Independent Panel
Purpose of an independent Regulator/administrator Panel
The International Association of Medical Colleges (IAOMC) is dedicated to enhancing medical education/practice using international standards of accreditation. It is committed to a democratic, non-political, not for profit, ethical, open and transparent process. An independent Regulator/administrator observer panel will accompany the site visitors to provide governments and their citizens’ assurance the accreditation process has been properly done. Panel members will be expressing their individual opinion and not acting on behalf of their government – unless authorized to do so. Panel members’ qualifications and experience will be published for public assurance.
The Regulator/administrator panel will be independent; its members bi-annually elect the panel’s Chair, Secretary and treasurer from among its members. The current Panel Chair will have a non-voting, permanent seat on the Board of Trustees. The Panel will have its own bylaws.
Eligibility.
Any person, anywhere in the world may qualify as a panel member if they are a member or administrator of a government body that oversees medical education/practice and licensure. Further, they must agree; to the validity of the global standards; to maintain IAOMC’s ethical institutional standards; to impartially examine the schools documents; to personally observe the accreditation process and site visit. An honourably retired regulator/administrator is eligible to become a panel member if the panel Chair determines the applicant is currently in medical regulation/administration.
Application process.
An applicant for the regulator/administrator panel position must state their experience as a member of a government body regulating medical education, practice or licensure and forward a photograph. Applications will be emailed to; Bfergusonjd@gmail.com. When a basic panel is formed, the website will be updated with member details. After that time, an election will be held for the permanent Chair, Secretary and treasurer. Thereafter, all new applications will be forwarded to the elected panel Chair.
Panel member approval.
The application will be reviewed for compliance with the stated requirements. A regulator is one who is or has been assigned by a government to oversee medical education/practice or licensure. An administrator is one who is or has been a member of a government staff implementing laws, rules, and policies, regarding medical education/practice and/or licensure. If compliant, the Chair will then send an email indicating acceptance to applicant and all Panel members.
Panel member disapproval – Right to Appeal
If the Chair finds applicant is not in compliance the applicant will be advised of the reason for such a finding and directly appeal to the panel members in writing indicating the reasons why they believe the Chairs decision was in error. A majority of panel members may override the Chair’s negative decision
After acceptance a panel member may not be removed by the Chair except for good cause. If the Chair believes such cause exist he/she must detail such reason and obtain the concurrence by two thirds of the panel members.
Scheduling the site visit.
After IAOMC’s accreditation evaluator finds apparent compliance he/she will notify the school; the Site Visitor Panel Chair and the Regulator/administrator Panel Chair. The Chairs will notify all of their respective members of the upcoming site visit and determine which members wish to visit the school on the selected dates. Each interested panelist needs to determine if there may be a conflict of interest. There is no obligation for any site visitor or regulator/administrator to visit any school or to explain why they choose not to visit that school. Selection of the two Regulator/administrator participants to serve on any school site visit will be done by the Panel’s elected Chair in an open and transparent process. An individual’s experience and expertise will be used as the Chair’s primary basis of selection. An attempt will be made to insure that all panel members serve an equal number of times since their appointment. Preference will be given to those with longer experience and/or greater responsibility for the first assignments. When the Chair has chosen the two participants the applicant school is advised. When the participant observers are finally selected the evaluator will forward site visitor’s proposed instructions to the applicant for review and comment. A complete copy will be provided to the two observers. The time for the school applicant to provide any comment or objection to the proposed instructions is one week after receipt of the site visitor instructions.
Chartering Nation Absolute Right
The government of the nation wherein the school is chartered has the absolute option to appoint the third member of the regulator/administrator panel that will accompany site visitors. In the event the chartering government does not nominate its observer the Chair may appoint the third member from the government observer panel.
Panel report
Should any panel member believe the site visitors are failing in their responsibilities to apply the global standards and/or process they will be duty bound to advise the Chair of the site visitor’s team at the time of their observation. If uncorrected the panel will issue its final report detailing the failure. If there is disagreement among the panel members each member will issue will issue their own report.
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E- mail voting
First,
Only the Regulator/administrative Chair or majority of panel members may submit an e-mail proposal to all other members of Government observer panel. In the event any agency has more than one individual on the panel only one may vote on a proposal.
Second.
Each panel member will automatically be required to vote within seventy two hours of the time sent. The seventy two hour period excludes weekends and holidays. Failure to timely respond results in a forfeiture of the right to vote on the immediate proposal
Third.
Any email voting proposal shall have the following preset voter options that follow the proposal; A. Approve B. Disapprove C. Approve with policy modification, D. This issue requires a telephone conference. E. Abstain. A voter may add such comment as they may choose. The majority of voters shall rule.
Fourth.
It will be presumed a proposal simultaneously sent to all members will have been received by each of them if it has not been returned to sender.
Fifth.
It is the responsibility of each voting member to maintain and monitor a current operating e-mail address that has been provided to all those entitled to vote.
Sixth.
Any and all email voting reply shall be done by replying to all panel members simultaneously.
Seventh.
All voting irregularities shall be finally resolved by the Panel Chair..
Additional By-Laws.
Any section of the these by-laws may be amended by two thirds of the entire voting regulator/administrator panel members.