The Positive Effects of Accreditation on Graduate Medical Education Programs in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: There is worldwide interest in assessing the impact of accreditation systems to quantify their benefits to medical education and, through this, health care at the local and global levels. OBJECTIVE: We analyzed ACGME-I Resident Survey data from Singapore for 2011-2018 to assess the impact of accreditation on residents' evaluations of their programs. METHODS: We focused on 7 questions from the annual Resident Survey, which would be affected by accreditation compliance, along with a single global rating of respondents' overall perception of their program. We assessed for differences among specialty groupings (medical, surgical, and hospital-based) and Singapore's 3 health care systems. Repeated measures analysis of variance procedures was used to assess trends across time for the combined 8 items and each individual item. RESULTS: Analysis of the combined items showed significant improvement over the 7 years Singaporean programs had accreditation. There were no effects for specialty type or sponsoring institution. Analyses of individual questions showed 6 of 8 were significant for improvement. For the individual question related to duty hour compliance, there was a significant interaction between time and specialty, suggesting medical specialties showed greater improvement across time compared to surgical and hospital-based specialties. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of accreditation in Singapore provided educational and clinical learning environment infrastructure not present prior to 2010, with the benefits of this reflected in residents' perceptions of their learning environment. Future assessments of the effects of accreditation might add stakeholder interviews to more fully describe its value and impact.

Board Certification: The Global Perspective.

This article reviews globalization of quality standards in medicine, with emphasis on accreditation and certification. In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the American Board of Ophthalmology, the author explores globalization movements, standards of quality, expectations of others seeking certification, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) International, interrelationships with the ABMS, and considerations both pragmatic and philosophical in addressing globalization of standards.

Congenital ectopic cilia of the upper eyelid.

The authors report a 19-year-old woman with a cluster of ectopic cilia located in the temporal aspect of her right upper eyelid associated with symptomatic secretion from the cutaneous ostea of the cilia. Histologic examination revealed subcutaneous connective tissue interspersed with pilosebaceous follicles and apocrine glands. No evidence of lacrimal gland ducts or acini was found.

A perspective on commercial relationships between ophthalmology and industry.

Relationships between physicians and industry including pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers are being closely scrutinized by the public and the media. These companies can contribute beneficially to patient outcomes by supporting research that improves eye care. However, ethical issues may arise that affect practicing ophthalmologists, researchers, academic faculty, and ophthalmologic organizations. These topics were discussed at a symposium sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society in May 2008. After this meeting, the council of the society developed this perspective to clarify some of the issues at the interface of industry and ophthalmology. The perspective is intended to provide some guidance to physicians, researchers, and professional societies and to enhance further dialogue.