Accreditation of the Joint Medical Program

In 2003, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) re-accredited the Newcastle Medical School for the delivery of the Bachelor of Medicine program until 31 July 2009. A further period of accreditation of up to four years may be granted following submission of a satisfactory report in 2008.

The Joint Medical Program (JMP) is an initiative of the University of Newcastle, The University of New England and the Hunter New England Area Health Service. Accreditation must be sought to expand the delivery of the Newcastle Bachelor of Medicine program to the University of New England.

The AMC Assessment Team visited the Universities of New England and Newcastle in late May. Advice from the AMC is expected in late August.

The Australian Medical Council

The AMC is responsible for assessing all medical schools in Australia to assure state medical registration boards that a medical school's educational program satisfies agreed national guidelines for basic medical education. As well as assessing the Australian medical schools, the AMC assesses New Zealand medical schools for the purposes of registration of their graduates in Australia. The AMC also assesses offshore courses that are offered by AMC-accredited Australian or New Zealand medical schools.

The overriding requirement of AMC accreditation is that medical schools produce medical practitioners who are safe and competent to practice as interns under supervision and who have an adequate basis to undertake further vocational training.

The AMC issues guidelines which contain explicit accreditation standards, describe the accreditation process and define the goals and objectives of basic medical education. It does not prescribe the detailed course content or educational methods required to deliver a curriculum but rather, it assesses the processes through which the school achieves its stated objectives and delivers its defined outcomes against its mission. This includes the way in which governance structures, curriculum management and plans, staffing, funding and physical resources contribute to the school's mission, objectives and outcomes, and the degree to which they comply with AMC requirements.