WLPMS - Course Information

ACCREDITATION

Quality Assurance of the Clinical MD Programmes at the University of Buckingham within the UK.

The Quality Assurance Agency, QAA, is an independent body that provides quality assurance for all UK higher education.

The University of Buckingham and the Clinical MD programmes are fully quality assured for meticulous academic standards by the QAA. Please refer to website www.qaa.ac.uk.
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Universities UK is an additional organisation ensuring accreditation and quality. The Vice Chancellor of the University of Buckingham represents the university on Universities UK. Please refer to website www.universitiesuk.ac.uk

Please note that no other medical organisation in the UK has the power or remit to quality assure higher medical degrees. This includes the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Physicians.

The University of Buckingham School of Medicine has been accepted by the General Medical Council (GMC) as a Postgraduate Institution Sponsoring Body. This will enable the University of Buckingham School of Medicine to sponsor selected candicates on the MD programmes for full registration with the GMC without the need to pass the PLAB test. The application for sponsorship for full registration will be made by the University of Buckingham School of Medicine to the GMC as per procedures agreed with the GMC after the candicate has completed their first three months of the the programme. This will enable successful candicates to proceed with the MD programme with full GMC registration and thereby enhancing their clinical training and experience.

International Recognition of the various MD programmes from the University of Buckingham

The University of Buckingham accepts a small number of doctors worldwide, from a large number of countries, for the its MD programmes. The University of Buckingham 2 year Clinical MD degree, 3 years Clinical MD degree and the combined 1 year MSc in Medical Research plus 2 years Clinical MD degree carries same recognition internationally as any higher medical degree (MD) from any UK university. However, country by country recognition of any degree from any university also depends upon the local regulations of that country over which no university has any jurisdiction.

At present, University of Buckingham does not appear on the GMC list of approved medical schools or in the World Directory of Medical Schools as only medical schools that offer undergraduate medical qualification (MBBS/MbChB) feature on those lists. The University of Buckingham's undergraduate medicine programme is currently being created. It is the university's intention to seek accreditation from the GMC but the GMC has yet to make any assessment of the proposed undergraduate medical course.

Recognition in India by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India

Indian doctors with acceptable postgraduate medical degrees from UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can now practice in India in any private or public hospital. They can also be a faculty member in any medical college and teach undergraduate medical students.

The Ministry of Health, Government of India, has officially recognised such postgraduate medical degrees from these five countries with a similar move to recognise postgraduate medical degrees from other countries in future.

Please view the document here or the original website here for confirmation that the Govenment of India has offically recognised medical qualifications granted by medical institutions outside India. The official notification is also available to read here.

Please also see http://www.academics-india.com/mci.htm (or alternatively here) and www.upsc.gov.in. Look for the eligibility criteria for teaching posts on the Union Public Service Commission website to see that the UPSC allows doctors with such UK postgraduate degrees to apply for teaching posts.

The two Clinical MDs and Research + Clinical MD in General Internal Medicine from the University of Buckingham, as UK postgraduate qualifications, should be recognised as such in India.

West London Postgraduate Medical School.