Rule 360-2-.14 - Requirements for Approval of International Medical Schools(1) An international medical school seeking Board approval pursuant to O.C.G.A. 43-34-26 shall provide the Board with the following: (a) A completed application and application fee.(b) Completed self-assessment form that establishes or demonstrates that: (i) MD Degree or equivalent. The medical school's educational program leads to an MD degree or the international equivalent, and the medical school's core curriculum and clinical instruction meets the standards of schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and one of the following: (A) The medical school is owned and operated by the government of the country in which it is located, and the country in which it is located and the medical school's primary purpose is educating its own citizens to practice medicine in that country; or(B) The medical school has a charter or registration by the jurisdiction in which it is domiciled and meets the standards set forth in subsections (b) (ii)-(xi) below.(ii) Mission and objectives. The institution shall have a clearly-stated written purpose and mission statement, and have institutional objectives that are consistent with preparing graduates to provide competent medical care. These must include: (A) Teaching, patient care, and service to the community;(B) The expectations concerning the education students will receive; and (C) The role of basic science and clinical research as an integral component of its mission, including the importance, processes, and evaluation of research in medical education and practice.(iii) Organization. The institution shall be organized as a definable academic unit responsible for a resident educational program that leads to the MD degree. (iv) Curriculum. The structure and content of the educational program shall provide an adequate foundation in the basic and clinical sciences and shall enable students to learn the fundamental principles of medicine, to acquire critical judgment skills, and to use those principles and skills to provide competent medical care. (v) Governance. The administration and governance structure system shall allow the institution to accomplish its mission and objectives.(vi) Faculty. The faculty shall be qualified and sufficient in number to achieve the institution's objectives. A "qualified" faculty member is a person who possesses either a credential generally recognized in the field of instruction, or a degree, professional license, or credential at least equivalent to the level of instruction being taught or evaluated. The institution shall have a formal ongoing faculty development process that will enable it to fulfill its mission and objectives. (vii) Admission and promotion standards. The institution shall have and adhere to standards governing admission requirements and student selection and promotion that are consistent with the institution's mission and objectives. (viii) Financial resources. The institution shall possess sufficient financial resources to accomplish its mission and objectives. (ix) Facilities. The institution shall have, or have access to, facilities, laboratories, equipment, and library resources that are sufficient to support the educational programs offered by the institution and to enable it to fulfill its mission and objectives. If the institution utilizes affiliated institutions to provide clinical instruction, the institution shall be fully responsible for the conduct and quality of the educational program at those affiliated institutions. (x) Records. The institution shall maintain and make available for inspection any records that relate to the institution's compliance with this section for at least five years, except that student transcripts shall be retained indefinitely.(xi) Branch campuses. An institution with more than one campus shall have written policies and procedures governing the division and sharing of administrative and teaching responsibilities between the central administration and faculty, and the administration and faculty of the other locations. These policies shall be consistent with the institution's mission and objectives. The institution shall be fully responsible for the conduct and quality of the educational programs at these sites. If an institution operates a branch campus located within the United States or Canada, instruction received at that branch campus shall be deemed to be instruction received and evaluated at that institution. For the purpose of this section, the term "branch campus" means a site other than the main location of the institution, but does not include any hospital at which only clinical instruction is provided. (2) The Board may, on its own or at the request of an institution, determine whether an institution meets the requirements of subsections 1(a) and 1(b). The Board shall have the discretion to determine whether a site visit is necessary in order to verify the accuracy and completeness of the data provided and to conduct an in-depth review of the program to determine whether the institution is in compliance with these regulations.(3) The Board may receive, review, evaluate, and process any materials and visit the facilities of an institution seeking approval of their program, or the Board may contract with an independent company or agency to perform those services for and make recommendations to the Board. The Board shall make the final decision regarding the approval of an institution and its program. All costs related to the evaluation and review process, including costs for a site visit, must be paid by the institution under review and be negotiated with the Board or the company selected by the Board to perform the evaluation.(4) An institution's failure to provide requested data regarding its educational program or to cooperate with a site visit team shall be grounds for disapproval of its educational program.(5) If an institution receives and wishes to retain the Board approval of its educational program, it shall do the following:(a) Notify the Board, in writing, no later than 30 days after making any changes to the following: (ii) Mission, purpose, or objectives; (iv) Any change in curriculum or other circumstances that would affect the institution's compliance with subsections (a) and (b);. (v) Shift of change in control. A "shift or change in control" means any change in the power or to manage, direct, or influence the conduct, policies, and affairs of the institution from one person or group of people to another person or group of people. This does not include the replacement of an administrator with another person, if the owner does not transfer any interest in, or relinquish any control of, the institution to that person.(b) Every seven years, the institution shall submit to the Board documentation sufficient to establish that it remains in compliance with the requirements of this section. (c) The documentation submitted pursuant to subsection (5)(b) shall be reviewed by the Board or its designee to determine whether the institution remains in compliance with the requirements of this section. The Board shall make the decision if the institution remains in compliance.(6) The Board may, at any time, withdraw its determination of approval when an institution is no longer in compliance with this section. Prior to withdrawing its determination of approval, the Board shall send the institution a written notice of its intent to withdraw its approval, identifying those deficiencies upon which it is proposing to base the withdrawal, and giving the institution 120 days from the date of the notice to respond to the notice. The Board shall have the sole discretion to determine whether a site visit is necessary in order to ascertain the institution's compliance with this section. The Board shall notify the institution of its decision and the basis for that decision.(7) The approval process outlined in this rule does not apply to medical schools that have already been classified as "Approved Medical Schools" in Rule 360-2-.01(1)(g)(i). Pursuant to Rule 360-2-.01(1)(g)(i), "Approved Medical Schools" are medical schools located in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada and those listed on the Medical Schools Recognized by the Medical Board of California (effective February 4, 2010, adopted by reference) and schools that have been approved by a regional accreditation authority with standards equivalent to LCME and approved by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA)."Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 360-2-.14
O.C.G.A. § 43-34-26(a)(1)(B).
New Ruled entitled "Requirements for Approval of International Medical Schools" adopted. F. Nov. 9, 2012; eff. Nov. 29, 2012.Repealed: New Rule of the same title adopted. F. Jan. 10, 2020; eff. Jan. 30, 2020.