World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations serving as the directing and coordinating authority for international health, it ensures the widest possible availability of authoritative information and guidance on health matters.

WHO has no authority to grant any form of recognition or accreditation to schools of medicine or other training institutions. Such a procedure remains the exclusive prerogative of the national government concerned. WHO limits itself to publishing information on medical schools that has been provided or confirmed by the governments of its Member States.

The World Directory of Medical Schools (WDMS) published by World Health Organization is the result of a wide and co-ordinated effort encompassing the design, field-testing and translation of questionnaires, the development of an electronic database, and editing, printing and dissemination. The resulting Directory in its Seventh Edition provides information on 1642 medical schools, listing the institutions of basic medical education in 157 countries or areas.

The Medical schools in each country are listed alphabetically. The website address to access the WDMS is http://www.who.int/hrh/wdms/en

FAIMER

ECFMG certification is one of the eligibility requirements to take Step 3 of the three-step United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). To be eligible for ECFMG certification , the physician's medical school and graduation year must be listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED) of the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER ® ).

The Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) is a non-profit foundation of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). FAIMER is committed to programs and research activities that have the potential to advance international medical education.

The International Medical Education Directory (IMED) provides an accurate and up-to-date resource of information about international medical schools that are recognized by the appropriate government agency in the countries where the medical schools are located. A medical school is listed in IMED after FAIMER receives confirmation from the Ministry of Health or other appropriate agency that the medical school is recognized by the Ministry or other agency.

The International Medical Education Directory (IMED) provides an accurate and up-to-date resource of information about international medical schools that are recognized by the appropriate government agency in the countries where the medical schools are located. The agency responsible for this recognition in most countries is the Ministry of Health. Medical schools that are recognized by the appropriate agencies in their respective countries are listed in the International Medical Education Directory.

A medical school is listed in IMED after FAIMER receives confirmation from the Ministry of Health or other appropriate agency that the medical school is recognized by the Ministry or other agency. FAIMER also updates the International Medical Education Directory as information about medical schools is received from Ministries of Health or other appropriate agencies.

IMED lists medical schools in each country alphabetically by the name of the medical school. You may search by various fields, including geographic region, country, name of medical school and the city where the school is located. Detailed search instructions are provided.

Medical school officials and Ministries of Health or other appropriate government agencies that wish to provide updated information should send communications to the following address. Individuals who have general questions concerning IMED may also send communications to this address.

The World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) is the global organization concerned with education and training of medical doctors. Its activities cover all stages of medical education, and it has a general objective to strive for the highest scientific and ethical standards in medical education, taking initiatives with respect to new methods, new tools, and management of medical education.

A strategic partnership was reached between WHO & WFME, to pursue a long-term work plan to develop high quality human resources education, with the active participation of medical schools and other providers of medical education and training, since physicians are important to any model of a health team for developing and developed countries a like. The website to access WFME is http://www.wfme.org