Twelve tips on setting up a new medical school

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• Establishing a new medical school is a rare event for most institutions.
• Leaders often lack prior experience in this specialized undertaking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidance on key considerations for establishing new medical schools.
• To offer a framework for institutions embarking on this unique challenge.

Main Methods:

• The study synthesized practical advice from the UK and African contexts.
• Key recommendations were derived from real-world implementation experiences.

Main Results:

• Twelve critical tips for establishing a medical school were identified.
• These include engaging with the parent university, defining focus areas, aligning curriculum and assessment, ensuring adequate facilities, appointing qualified staff, planning research, and coordinating with health services.

Conclusions:

• The identified tips are intended to be broadly applicable across diverse settings.
• These recommendations aim to support the successful establishment of new medical schools.