Caribbean Accreditation Authority
for Education in Medicine and
other Health Professions

About Us

• Introduction
• Establishment of CAAM-HP
• Agreement Establishing the CAAM-HP
• Composition of the Authority
• Objectives of the Authority
• CAAM-HP Accreditation System

Introduction

The Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP) is the legally constituted body established to accredit medical, dental, veterinary and other health professions programmes leading to professional degrees required for practise in CARICOM member states.

Establishment of CAAM-HP

The CAAM-HP was established in 2003 under the aegis of CARICOM and became operational immediately following the launch on July 14, 2004 in Jamaica by the former Prime Minister, the Most Honourable P.J. Patterson.

Agreement Establishing the CAAM-HP

The CAAM-HP was legally constituted with an Agreement. This Agreement, the Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions, was signed by five (5) Heads of Government in November 2003, at which time the Agreement became provisionally applicable. To date ten CARICOM member countries have signed the Agreement:

• Antigua & Barbuda
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• St. Kitts & Nevis
• Suriname
• Trinidad & Tobago

Composition of the Authority

Membership of the CAAM-HP comprises representatives from the universities in the region, medical students, civil society, professional associations and external professionals with expertise and knowledge in medical education accreditation.

Other Health Professions
Where the Authority specifies which professions are to be treated as other health professions, membership of the Authority shall be extended to include:–

1. two (2) persons nominated jointly by academic institutions offering training in other health professions in the Community;
2. two (2) students enrolled in training programmes in other health professions in institutions in the Community nominated jointly by those institutions.

Objectives of the Authority

The Authority has the objectives of:

1. achieving and maintaining standards of excellence in programmes of education in medicine and other health professions.
2. establishing an efficient system of regulation in relation to the standards and quality of such programmes of education.
3. securing international recognition of the programmes of education in medicine and other health professions.
4. maintaining the confidence of the peoples of the region in the quality of medical and other health professions training offered in the region.

CAAM-HP Accreditation System

The accreditation system used by the CAAM-HP is based on that of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). This system functions with a clear, authoritative mandate, operates independently of governments and institutions, uses preset standards, draws on external reviewers and involves self-evaluation and site visits.

For more information about CAAM-HP, contact the Secretariat.

ADVISORY

The Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP) has been made aware of claims that its Standards are being used by other accreditation bodies to evaluate medical education programmes located in their countries.

CAAM-HP wishes to make it clear that such accreditation exercises CANNOT be interpreted to mean that the CAAM-HP has accredited or approved these programmes. The programmes assessed and accredited by the CAAM-HP, with its independent international mechanisms, are listed on CAAM-HP’s web site.

Any further enquiries or uncertainty about the validity of accreditation exercises claiming the approval of CAAM-HP should be directed to the CAAM-HP Secretariat.

Dated: September 9, 2009