The Consortium of Graduate Medical Schools in Australia: formal and informal collaboration in medical education

Context In 1996-97 three Australian medical schools adopted 4-year graduate medical courses. The schools formed a consortium to establish common admis sions processes and to collaborate on curriculum and staff development. Outcomes: admissions Outcomes in admissions included the construction of an entry test and agreement on common application procedures. Structured inte rviews and measures of prior tertiary performance were adopted in each scho ol with some local variations. Formal structures were put into place to man age the development of the test and admissions procedures. Outcomes: curriculum and staff development No formal structures were put in to place for curriculum and staff development. While the advantages of comm on approaches were recognised, it was accepted that it was also important t o generate local ownership and commitment to the new courses. Outcomes of e ducational consortia should not be judged solely by the nature of joint ven tures but by the way in which membership of the consortium changes the prio rities and practices within the institutions. Examples of the operation of this principle within the three schools include: use of visiting experts to refine and modify approaches to problem-based learning; use of staff from partner institutions to facilitate implementation of the courses; sharing i nformation technology expertise; cooperation in the construction of feedbac k mechanisms, and sharing advice on fulfilling accreditation requirements. Conclusion The Consortium has had an important impact on Australian medical education. There is a need for further analysis of the two methods of oper ation of the consortium, formal and informal, and their relation to its ove rall functioning.