The Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) regularly reviews its accreditation standards and elements to ensure that they continue to support the quality of undergraduate medical education in Canada and remain relevant, clear, and responsive to evolving practices, priorities, and expectations in medical education.
The CACMS Standards Subcommittee undertakes this work on a recurring cycle, generally reviewing two to three standards each year. CACMS is nearing the completion of a full review of all 12 accreditation standards, marking the completion of the current standards review cycle.
As CACMS prepares for the next cycle, we are seeking input from the medical education community to help identify areas that may warrant particular attention. This consultation provides an opportunity to suggest areas where standards and elements could be revised or removed, as well as identify emerging issues or gaps.
In this survey, for each accreditation standard and each element, you will have the opportunity to indicate one of the following:
- Keep as is
- Revise
- Remove
If you recommend revising an element, you will be asked to provide your suggested revision and the rationale for the proposed change. If you recommend removing a standard or element, you will be asked to provide the rationale for its removal.
You will also be able to suggest new accreditation standards or elements and provide broader comments on issues or priorities that CACMS should consider during the next standards review cycle. In addition, you will be able to provide feedback on the Independent Student Analysis (ISA).
This survey is being distributed to a broad range of interested parties across the medical education community. You are not expected to comment on every standard or element and may provide feedback only on those areas where you have relevant experience, expertise, or perspectives to contribute. Within the survey, you have the ability to skip standards and elements.
Your feedback will help the CACMS Standards Subcommittee establish priorities for the next standards review cycle and ensure that the accreditation standards continue to reflect the evolving needs of Canadian undergraduate medical education.
Please provide brief and to-the-point responses. Avoid unnecessary details or elaboration unless it adds significant value to your answer. Your input is valuable, and concise responses help us efficiently gather and analyze feedback. You may save your responses and return to the survey at a later time by selecting “Save and Continue Later.”
The survey is accessible at: https://form.simplesurvey.com/f/r/g9db0FJ9 until December 15, 2026.
The results of this consultation will be provided to the CACMS Standards Subcommittee to inform the priorities and planning for the next standards review cycle.
Thank you for contributing your time and perspective to the ongoing review of CACMS’ accreditation standards.