Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP)

Accreditation Guidelines for Long‑Term Courses

1. Purpose

These Guidelines establish the standards and procedures for accrediting long‑term educational courses that offer Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. They aim to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with best practices in medical education and professional regulation.

2. Scope

These Guidelines apply to all course providers seeking CCFP CME accreditation for multi‑session programmes delivered over an extended period (e.g., several months up to three years). They cover initial accreditation, maintenance of accreditation, and re‑accreditation.

3. Definitions

Course (Long‑Term): A structured educational programme delivered through sequential sessions or modules on a defined topic, designed for cumulative competency development.
Module/Session: A discrete instructional unit within a Course.
Contact Hour: Sixty (60) minutes of live or asynchronous educational participation that meets these Guidelines.
Provider (Sponsor/Organizer): The entity applying for accreditation.
Faculty: Individuals delivering instruction or assessment within the Course.
Commercial Interest: Any entity producing, marketing, re‑selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients.

4. Governance and Principles

CCFP accredits Courses to promote independent, evidence‑based learning free from commercial bias. Accreditation decisions are made by the relevant CCFP Education/Accreditation Committee, based on documented standards and peer review.

5. Eligibility

To be eligible for accreditation, a Course must:

Address an identified educational need relevant to family medicine/primary care or allied health practice;
Articulate measurable learning objectives and mapped competencies;
Use appropriate instructional methods (e.g., lectures, case‑based learning, workshops, simulation, supervised practice, reflective activities);
Include valid assessment of learning and an evaluation of programme effectiveness; and
Demonstrate adequate governance, quality assurance, and faculty qualifications.

6. Application Requirements

Submit the complete application at least 60 days prior to the Course start date. A complete application includes:

Completed CCFP Course Accreditation Application Form;
Course syllabus (learning objectives; curriculum map; content outline);
Schedule/timeline of sessions and delivery modalities;
Instructional materials list (core texts, guidelines, handouts, digital resources);
Faculty roster and qualifications (CVs/short bios);
Assessment plan (methods, timing, standards, remediation policy);
Monitoring and evaluation plan (participant feedback tools, KPIs, quality‑improvement loop);
Policies on attendance, academic honesty, appeals, and learner support;
Disclosure statements for all faculty and planners;
Evidence of independence from commercial interests, including management of any commercial support; and
Proposed CME credit calculation (by session/module and total).

7. Submission Timelines

Minimum lead time: 60 days before Course start.
Administrative completeness check: within 5–7 business days of receipt.
Peer/Committee review: typically completed within 20–25 business days after completeness confirmation.
Decision notification: see §12.

Applications requiring additional information are paused until the requested information is received. Incomplete applications may be returned.

8. Review Process

Administrative Review (completeness, eligibility).
Academic/Peer Review (content validity, instructional design, assessment quality, workload/credits).
COI & Independence Review (disclosures; mitigation measures).
Decision (approve/approve with conditions/defer/decline) recorded with rationale.

9. Evaluation Criteria

Accreditation is granted based on:

Educational Need: Needs assessment mapped to practice gaps and/or current guidelines.
Content Validity & Currency: Evidence‑based, peer‑reviewed sources; alignment with national/regional/international standards.
Learning Objectives: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time‑bound (SMART) objectives.
Instructional Methods: Appropriateness for objectives; strategies that support engagement and retention.
Faculty Qualifications: Relevant clinical/educational expertise; teaching competence.
Assessment & Evaluation: Valid, reliable methods for measuring learning and programme effectiveness; plan for remediation and improvement.
Equity & Accessibility: Considerations for diverse learners, inclusive design, and reasonable accommodations.
Quality Assurance: Governance, monitoring, and continuous improvement processes.

10. CME Credit Allocation

Credit Equivalence: 1 CME credit = 1 contact hour of approved educational activity.
Eligible Activities: Live in‑person/virtual sessions; moderated asynchronous learning with verifiable participation; supervised skills practice; assessment activities integral to learning (e.g., OSCEs, viva, structured reflection).
Ineligible Time: Breaks, registration, social/networking events, non‑educational sponsor activities.
Incremental Credits: Credits may be granted per completed module/segment where outcomes are demonstrably achieved. Providers must maintain attendance and completion records.
Maximum Claims: Learners may claim only credits actually earned through verified participation/assessment.

11. Documentation and Records

Providers must retain attendance logs, assessment results (aggregate), faculty disclosures, programme evaluations, and issued certificates for at least 4 years, and furnish these upon request for audit.

12. Approval and Communication

Decision Timeline: CCFP will communicate the accreditation decision and total awarded credits within 30 days after completion of the review process.
Certificate of Accreditation: Issued to the Provider, stating Course title, provider name, accreditation term, and total/max credits. Providers issue participant certificates upon verified completion as per CCFP instructions.
Conditions: If approved with conditions, the decision letter will specify requirements and timelines for compliance.

13. Maintenance of Accreditation

Term: Up to twelve (12) months subject to compliance.
Material Changes: Substantive changes to content, faculty mix, delivery modality, or assessment methods must be pre‑notified to CCFP; additional review may be required.
Annual Reporting: Short annual report summarizing delivery, participation, outcomes, QA actions, and any adverse events/complaints.
Re‑Accreditation: Full re‑evaluation at the end of the term (see Item 18).

14. Quality Assurance & Audit

CCFP may audit accredited Courses, including observation, document review, or learner/faculty interviews. Non‑compliance may result in corrective actions, suspension, or revocation.

15. Compliance and Ethical Standards

Disclosure of Commercial Support: All financial or in‑kind support must be fully disclosed to CCFP and learners.
Independence: Content must be free of commercial influence. Faculty must use generic names where possible and declare any relevant relationships.
Conflict of Interest (COI): All planners/faculty must disclose potential COIs; CCFP and the Provider must implement mitigation (e.g., content review, recusal, balanced evidence, peer oversight).
Branding: Sponsor promotion must be clearly separated from educational content (no logos on scientific slides; no product promotion during teaching time).

16. Use of CCFP Name and Logo

Providers may reference accreditation status exactly as stated in the decision letter and may use the CCFP accreditation mark only as authorised. Misrepresentation may result in sanctions.

17. Data Protection & Privacy

Providers must comply with applicable data‑protection laws and CCFP’s privacy standards for the collection, storage, and processing of participant data.

18. Re‑Accreditation, Appeals, and Amendments

Re‑Accreditation: Submit re‑application before term expiry with updated syllabus, outcomes data, QA improvements, and any changes since last approval.
Appeals: Providers may request reconsideration within 15 business days of a decision, supplying additional evidence for review.
Amendments to Guidelines: CCFP may amend these Guidelines from time to time; the version in force at the time of application will govern the review.

19. Fee Schedule (Proposed)

Fees are set by CCFP and may be revised periodically. Amounts below are in USD. Fees may be billed in JMD equivalent at the prevailing rate on the invoice date.

19.1 Initial Accreditation (Full Course Review)

Course Size (anticipated participants)	Fee
Small (up to 250)	$1,000
Medium (251–500)	$1,200
Large (501+)	$1,500

19.2 Annual Maintenance (Oversight & QA)

Course Size	Annual Fee
Small (up to 250)	$300
Medium (251–500)	$400
Large (501+)	$500

19.3 Re‑Accreditation (every 12 months)

Standard fee: $1,000
Discounted fee for continuously accredited Courses with no significant changes: $800

19.4 Expedited Review (optional, subject to capacity)

Expedited surcharge (e.g., decision within 15 business days after completeness confirmation): $250-$350 Depending on Course size.

19.5 Special Circumstances

Additional charges may apply for major amendments, extensive re‑review, or site audits requested by the Provider.

19.6 Payment & Refunds

Invoices are due within 30 days of issue unless otherwise stated.
Fees are non‑refundable once peer review has commenced.
Applications withdrawn prior to peer review may receive a partial refund less an administrative charge (amount set by CCFP).
Bank transfer/payment details will be provided on the invoice.

20. Provider Responsibilities (Summary)

Ensure accuracy and completeness of submissions and disclosures;
Deliver the Course as accredited and notify CCFP of material changes;
Maintain required records and submit annual reports;
Implement participant feedback and QA actions;
Adhere to branding, COI, and independence requirements.

21. Contact

CCFP Secretariat
Address: MAJ HOUSE, 19A WINDSOR AVENUE, KGN 5, JM
Email: familydoctorsregional@gmail.com
Phone/WhatsApp: 876-946-0954 and 876-517-6636
Website: www.caribgp.org

Annex A — Application Checklist

Completed CCFP Application Form
Syllabus & curriculum map
Session schedule/timeline
Faculty roster & qualifications
Assessment plan & tools
Evaluation instruments (learner feedback)
COI disclosures & mitigation plan
Evidence of independence/commercial support management
Proposed CME credit calculation
Policies (attendance, appeals, remediation, learner support)

Annex B — Sample Module Record

Module title & objectives
Date/duration/contact hours
Faculty
Teaching methods
Pre‑/post‑assessment results
Attendance verified (Y/N)
Key references
Issues/Improvements logged

Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP)

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