Understanding impacts of accreditation on medical teachers and students

A systematic review and meta-ethnography

Bibliographic Data

ID21447372
AuthorsGeorge Choa (0000-0001-9207-440X, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, corresponding author), Zakia Arfeen (0000-0002-1647-6172, University College London Medical School, University College London, London, UK), See Chai Carol Chan (0000-0003-1804-4741, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK), Ahmed Rashid (0000-0002-8443-1240, University College London Medical School, University College London, London, UK)
Year2022
Volume44
Issue1
Pages63-70
Publication date2022-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Teacher (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0142-159X • E-ISSN: 1466-187X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/0142159x.2021.1965976
PMID34455898
OpenAlexW3198852863
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited31

PURPOSE: Accreditation is widely used by medical schools around the word to evaluate their curricula and educational processes, although its impacts on those involved in the 'frontline' of medical education receive little attention. This study systematically identified and synthesised qualitative studies that have explored medical teachers' and students' experiences of accreditation. METHODS: Four databases (Pubmed, EMBASE, ERIC, and PsychINFO) were searched for relevant published articles. Synthesis was performed using meta-ethnography. RESULTS: Eighteen articles were included in the final synthesis with 1017 individual participants from 10 countries. Findings were categorised into four domains, including navigating power differentials, evaluating credibility, influencing medical programmes, and culture and behaviour. The synthesis demonstrates divergent views on the value of accreditation in medical schools from students and staff including both positive and negative impacts on medical education programmes and stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: Although accreditation is perceived to have many benefits, it also has a number of unintended consequences, including on staff morale, student-teacher relationships, and teacher workloads. Medical teachers also have a number of concerns about the credibility of accreditation standards, assessors, and processes. Regulators and policymakers should consider the views of teachers and students as they seek to improve current accreditation practices

Accreditation · Credibility · MEDLINE · Perception · Unintended consequences · Evaluation of Teaching Practices · Healthcare Quality and Management · Innovations in Medical Education

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