REFORMING ACADEMIC PROMOTION CRITERIA IN IRAQI MEDICAL COLLEGES: ALIGNING NATIONAL POLICY WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Abstract

Background: Academic promotion in Iraqi medical colleges currently depends exclusively on original research articles, while other internationally recognized forms of medical scholarship are not counted. This policy analysis compares the Iraqi system with global academic promotion models and proposes a modernization framework.
Methods: Comparative review of academic promotion standards in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and Middle Eastern medical schools, with reference to World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) guidelines.
Results: Restricting promotion to original research limits clinical documentation, educational innovation, early-career academic growth, and international academic integration.
Conclusion: A national policy dialogue is necessary to broaden accepted academic outputs while maintaining scientific rigor.