The Second Meeting of the Network of SEAR.

The Network of Medical Councils of South-East Asia Region was established in February 2007. The first meeting was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 19 to 21 December 2007. The second meeting of the Regional network of Medical Councils in SEAR Countries was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand from 10 to 12 November 2008.

The objectives of the meeting were:

1. To review the progress on the identified activities by the members of the Network of Medical Councils
2. To finalize the “module on teaching of ethics” for the undergraduate medical curriculum,
3. To finalize guidelines for accreditation of Medical Schools,
4. To discuss Quality Assurance (QA) in Medical Education and Institutional QA mechanism,
5. To review document on Continuing Medical Education (CME), and
6. Main elements in the process of accreditation
7. To recommend and identify future activities of network

Participants in the meeting included representatives of Medical Councils from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste and Temporary Advisers from India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand participated at this meeting. Medical Councils from DPR Korea and Myanmar were not represented.

During the course of the meeting on –

Day One

1. Review of the progress made in the activities identified in the first meeting of the network was discussed and
2. Each of the Councils and the WFME presented the guidelines on accreditation;

Day Two

1. Accreditation Guidelines,
2. The teaching of ethics in the undergraduate medical curriculum and
3. The Concept Paper on “Quality Assurance (QA) in Medical Education “was presented and

Day Three

1. A concept paper on CME system was presented; followed by country presentations on CME and
2. Discussed and finalized recommendations on

Recommendations:

The participants proposed five priority recommendations. These are as follows:

1. Nepal Medical Council, who was entrusted the responsibility of the Secretariat of the Network of Medical Council, will formulate the constitution of the network to be adopted in next network meeting. The next meeting of the Network will be organized in Nepal in September 2009.
2. The members of the network will follow the “SEARO Module” on ethics teaching in Medical Schools.
3. The SEAR Accreditation guidelines with the minimum standards for accreditation of medical schools are to be followed by the councils with formal approval and ratification. These guidelines are non-binding and flexible.
4. WHO will support and facilitate the development of ‘A Handbook on Medical Ethics and ‘A Facilitators’ Guide’ for ethics teaching
5. WHO will support to develop “An Institutional Quality Assurance Mechanism” for Medical Schools and develop a guideline on a national system of Continuing Medical Education (CME).

Outcome of the meeting:

reviewed the progress of the activities of the Network and taken further course of activities on those.

Finalized and adopted the ‘Module on Teaching Ethics’ for implementation by the councils through medical schools.

Adopted the “Accreditation Guidelines for Medical Schools” to be implemented by the councils.

Agreed on the ‘Concept paper on “Quality Assurance” in medical education and institutional quality assurance mechanism and decided to develop a “SEAR Guidelines on Quality Assurance in Medical Education.

Agreed on the ‘Concept Paper on “Continuing Medical Education” and decided to develop a “SEAR Guidelines for CME”