The Consortium of Medical Schools - Africa

Consórcio das Escolas de Medicina – África

Consortium des Écoles de Médecine – Afrique

ائتلاف كليات الطب – أفريقيا

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Geographic Coverage of COMS-A Membership

The Consortium of Medical Schools–Africa (COMS-A) was launched on March 25, 2025, during the Advancing Medical Education in Africa Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. It is a unified, African-led initiative formed by medical education leaders to address the continent’s healthcare and education challenges. COMS-A fosters collaboration, resource-sharing, and best practice exchange in medical education, research, and healthcare delivery. Its mission is to develop a socially accountable medical workforce to meet Africa’s unique health needs. The University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda serves as its secretariat.

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Inquiries

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FAQs

Common Questions About Our COMS-A

What is the primary goal of COMS-A?

COMS-A's primary goal is to unite Africa’s medical schools to transform medical education through collaborative leadership, innovation, equity, and accountability, ultimately strengthening healthcare systems and improving health outcomes across the continent.

Full membership is open to all recognized and accredited public, private, or not-for-profit medical schools/colleges in Africa that issue medical degrees (MBBS, MD, MBChB, MMED, fellowships, or equivalent qualifications).

The key aims of COMS-A include serving as a unifying organization for African medical schools, focusing on the quality and relevance of medical education, promoting quality leadership, striving for relevant research and innovation, fostering global health partnerships, encouraging resource sharing, promoting standardization of medical education, and ensuring African medical education aligns with community health needs.

The temporary registered office of COMS-A is located at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda until a permanent location is agreed upon.

There shall be at least one Annual General Meeting of the members each year. The Executive Committee can also call for additional general meetings as needed or upon written request by at least 10% of the membership.

The governing body of COMS-A is the Executive Committee (EC), which is responsible for leading and executing the functions of the Consortium. The EC comprises elected members and chairs of standing committees.

You can stay informed about COMS-A's activities by regularly visiting the "News & Events" section of our website and by subscribing to our newsletter for email updates.

Yes, COMS-A members are expected to adhere to the highest standards of ethics in medical education, clinical practice, and research. COMS-A will establish a code of ethics to guide behavior, foster integrity, and uphold professionalism across all activities.

Interested institutions can find detailed information about membership criteria and the application process on the "Become a Member" section of our website, where an application form and contact details for inquiries are provided.

COMS-A operates through six standing committees: Finance, Audit and Compliance, Education and Curriculum, Advocacy and Partnerships, Leadership and Professional Development, and Research and Innovations. Each committee focuses on specific areas aligned with COMS-A's strategic objectives.

Membership in COMS-A offers numerous benefits, including opportunities for collaboration, networking with medical education leaders across Africa, contributing to policy discussions, accessing shared resources, participating in capacity- building initiatives, and enhancing your institution's visibility.

COMS- A ensures representation from all African regions through the composition of its Executive Committee and the standing committees, with specific attention to linguistic representation and gender inclusion. The Chairs of the standing committees represent each of the five African regions (according to the World Bank classification).

COMS-A is establishing an African Women in Medical Education Leadership Forum to promote women in high-level medical school positions, provide mentorship opportunities, and offer career guidance.

COMS-A is collaborating with WHO AFRO to support its continental curriculum harmonization initiative, aiming to align medical training with regional health needs, promote competency-based education, and ensure quality and consistency across institutions.

The Advancing Medical Education in Africa Conference is COMS-A's flagship annual conference, bringing together academic leaders, faculty, students, policymakers, and global partners to exchange ideas, showcase innovations, and shape the future of medical education in Africa. The conference will take place annually. For more information, please visit the website here