CACMS Accreditation
The MD Program is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS)
Full Accreditation through 2028
At its June 2021 meeting, the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) voted to continue accreditation for the University of Toronto MD Program for the maximum term of 8 years.
The MD Program submitted a follow-up status report to the CACMS addressing elements rated "Satisfactory with Monitoring" or "Unsatisfactory". The CACMS issued its findings in response to the status report at its October 2023 meeting. A second status report is required to address remaining cited elements. The report will be submitted by August 1, 2025.
The University of Toronto MD Program is accredited by the CACMS and the LCME. LCME accreditation of Canadian medical education programs will cease on June 30, 2025.
Summary of Accreditation Findings
Accreditation Reports and Documents
CACMS Decision Letters
CACMS Accreditation Decision Letter (June 2021)
CACMS Response to Status Report (October 2023)
Independent Student Analysis (2019)
Full Independent Student Analysis Report
MD Program Response to Priority A Recommendations
Accreditation Survey Reports
Purpose of accreditation
The accreditation process has two general and related aims: to promote medical school self-evaluation and improvement, and to determine whether a medical education program meets prescribed standards.
Through accreditation, the CACMS provides assurance to medical students, graduates, the medical profession, healthcare institutions, health authorities, regulatory authorities, and the public that (1) educational programs culminating in the award of the MD degree meet reasonable, generally-accepted, and appropriate national standards for educational quality, and (2) graduates of such programs have a complete and valid educational experience sufficient to prepare them for the next stage of their training. View the CACMS Standards and Elements.
As a process of evaluation, accreditation considers three general questions:
- Has the medical school clearly established its mission and goals for the educational program?
- Are the program's curriculum and resources organized to meet its mission and goals?
- What is the evidence that the program is currently achieving its mission and goals and is likely to continue to meet them in the future?
The medical school self-study process and the resulting findings are central to these aims.
Possible accreditation outcomes
Accreditation Status
The ideal outcome of the process for an undergraduate medical education program is the renewal of accreditation for the full period of eight years.
If significant issues have been identified, the CACMS may place the program on warning status or on probation status.
Rarely, programs may have their accreditation withdrawn. This is an extreme action, and no Canadian program has ever had their accreditation withdrawn.
Program Performance
Along with their decision on accreditation status, the CACMS provides a set of ratings for each of the 12 CACMS Standards and their constituent Elements.
Standards may be rated "In compliance," "In compliance with a need for monitoring," or "Not in compliance."
Elements may be rated "Satisfactory," "Satisfactory with a need for monitoring," or "Unsatisfactory."
The Standard and Element ratings indicate to a program the areas in which additional action, data collection, and follow up are required. In some cases, a program’s accreditation may be renewed for an indefinite period, pending required follow-up reports to the CACMS.
Consequences of adverse accreditation status decisions
While a program is unlikely to lose its accreditation following a survey and site visit, a probationary or warning status may have a significant and lasting impact on the program.
Adverse accreditation findings affect the institution’s reputation, including its place in national and international rankings, and may have a negative impact on the institution’s development activities.
A program on probation must send written notification to all current students and applicants for admission that it has been placed on probation.
In order to apply for and enrol in a post-graduate training program (residency) in Canada and/or the United States, students must have graduated from an MD program accredited by the CACMS and LCME. Maintaining accreditation is therefore essential to ensuring that MD Program graduates are able to continue their training beyond the MD level.
Role of students in the accreditation process
Students conduct an independent student analysis (ISA) of the medical school in parallel to the self-study that the medical school completes as part of their accreditation preparations. The site visit team that reviews a program will meet with students selected from all class years, and will tour educational facilities with assistance from student guides. The site visit team will include students’ perspective taken from the ISA survey data, from the AFMC GQ, and from students it meets on-site when making its determinations about the extent to which the medical school meets the requirements of the accreditation elements.