Forum on Education Abroad Member
International Medical Aid and The Forum on Education Abroad
Our membership in the standards organization for education abroad, our work on its community engaged learning guidelines and the research we share with students.
Who The Forum on Education Abroad Is
The Forum on Education Abroad is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association for the education abroad field. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission recognize it as the Standards Development Organization for education abroad.
The Forum writes the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad, now in their sixth edition. The Standards set minimum requirements, quality indicators and a framework for continuous improvement, and they apply to undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education programs, for credit or not. The Forum also trains education abroad professionals, publishes guidelines and research, and runs conferences, including its Annual Conference and a conference on careers, internships and global learning.
Its institutional members include U.S. colleges and universities, institutions overseas, consortia, agencies and organizations that run programs abroad. The Forum is hosted by its strategic partner, Dickinson College.
How IMA Works With the Forum
A Listed Forum Member
International Medical Aid is a member of the Forum and appears in its directory of education abroad organizations.
Training for Our Program Staff
Our program staff complete training from the Forum, so the people who run orientation, supervision and support on site work from the same standards the field uses.
Community Engaged Learning Guidelines
Phares Odhiambo of IMA served on the working group that revised the Forum’s Guidelines for Community Engaged Learning Abroad to match the sixth edition of the Standards. The guidelines cover how programs work with host communities, and the Forum lists him in the acknowledgments.
Sharing the Forum’s Research
We share Forum research with students and families, including its 2025 study on what education abroad means for graduates’ first salaries.
What the Forum’s 2025 Salary Study Found
In September 2025 the Forum released International Experience as a Career Asset: Exploring the Earnings Impact of Education Abroad Participation. The study looked at 7,487 graduates of four business schools at large public universities, from the classes of 2021 through 2025.
- Graduates who studied abroad earned $4,159 more in their first job, a 6.3% difference in starting salary.
- The difference showed up among students with B and C averages, not only A students.
The study covers business majors, not health students, and it compares outcomes rather than proving that time abroad caused the higher pay. We wrote about what it may mean for pre-health students in Salary Study Finds Education Abroad Equals Higher Earnings for Healthcare Students.
Forum membership is not accreditation, does not mean the Forum endorses each IMA program and does not change any school’s admissions, credit or experience requirements.
What This Means on an IMA Program
The Forum’s Standards and guidelines ask programs to put student safety, clear learning goals and benefit to the host community first. On IMA internships, students start with an in-country orientation, learn alongside clinical teams under supervision at a level that matches their training, and take part in health education and community outreach. They do not diagnose, prescribe or perform invasive procedures.
Review eligibility, dates, housing, safety and fees on our program pages. Each school sets its own admissions, credit and experience requirements, so check with the programs you plan to apply to.
Questions About IMA and the Forum
Is IMA a member of The Forum on Education Abroad?
Yes. International Medical Aid is a Forum member and is listed in the Forum’s directory of education abroad organizations.
What are the Standards of Good Practice?
They are the Forum’s standards for education abroad, now in their sixth edition. They set minimum requirements and quality indicators for programs, and the Forum publishes guidelines that apply them to specific kinds of programs, such as community engaged learning.
Did IMA help write any Forum guidelines?
Yes. Phares Odhiambo of IMA served on the working group that revised the Forum’s Guidelines for Community Engaged Learning Abroad to reflect the sixth edition of the Standards.
Does Forum membership mean academic credit or admission?
No. Membership does not award academic credit, change admissions requirements or mean a school will approve an internship. Ask your school about credit before you apply.
Where can I learn about IMA’s programs?
Start with our internships and Program Dates and Fees, then contact our admissions team with questions about your academic stage and interests.
See All Partnerships
International Medical Aid and HOSA
ILC workshops, alumni webinars and resources for HOSA members and families.
AMSA AllianceInternational Medical Aid and AMSA
Our AMSA Alliance organization-member listing and articles for pre-health students.
OverviewAll IMA Partnerships
How each relationship differs, with links to the original sources.
