The International Medical Education Directory (IMED) is a public database of worldwide medical schools. The IMED is published as a joint collaboration of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER). The IMED along with the AVICENNA Directory for medicine are the primary medical school databases used by medical regulators.
As of April 2014, IMED and AVICENNA have merged to create the new World Directory of Medical Schools. The World Directory will take over as the definitive list of medical schools in the world, as IMED and Avicenna will be discontinued in 2015.
Medical schools listed in the IMED have been recognized by their local governments as institutions authorized to confer a medical degree upon their graduates. Government recognition of medical schools is generally granted by a local Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, or medical board. This recognition does not imply accreditation, which is a measure of the quality of education. FAIMER publishes a separate database of accrediting organizations called the Directory of Organizations that Recognize/Accredit Medical Schools.
Attending a school listed in the IMED is a requirement for eligibility for the USMLE.