Great independent medical evaluators (IMEs) can be the difference between winning or losing a case. Expert medical testimony–whether it’s from a physician, psychologist, or other medical professional–is often convincing enough, and objective enough, to change a verdict. However, not all IMEs are the same. An accredited IME provider can offer you not just the medical expertise necessary to sway the judges, but the legal knowledge and delivery it takes to get the job done. 

For IME providers, it takes both medical knowledge and legal skills to get the job done. To find the right mix of legal skills, organizations will seek out an IME with a reputation for quality. Accreditation is one way to demonstrate you’ve met these professional standards. Through becoming an accredited IME, you get third-party validation of your practice: showing potential customers you can offer a fair, unbiased opinion as well as eliminating any headache from administrative disputes. 

So how do you become an accredited IME?

Education Requirements for IMEs

Independent medical examiners sit at the intersection between healthcare and law. They rely on the professional expertise of medical professionals as well as legal savvy. This means the professional requirements for these professionals: medical school and residency, or law school, articling, and passing the bar, also apply to IMEs. 

However, a great physician or lawyer does not an IME make! IMEs have to be able to not just provide a great medical opinion or win a case, but do both. They’ll need to deliver a satisfactory opinion, and do so in a way that can help with the case. In this case, accredited professionals who want to become IMEs should seek out specific accreditation of their own. 

How to get certified as an IME

Accreditation bodies for IMEs in North America depend on where you live and the kind of medical examinations you perform. The American Association for Independent Medical Examiners is the main body for accreditation in the United States. In Canada, the main body for accreditation among IMEs is the Canadian Association for Medical Evaluators. These regulatory bodies have their own standards for practice, and regulate areas such as educational background, training, and program deliverables. 

Since IMEs are by their nature different across organizations (thanks to the different specializations or work styles across medicolegal professionals), the accreditation process is designed to offer quality standards and harmonize the outputs across agencies. 

To practice as a medicolegal expert, you’ll need to have a basic set of competencies: clinical application, medicolegal reasoning (a combination of medical law and ethics), and the ability to make a clear concise ‘case’ for your evaluation. Getting accredited as an IME usually requires submitting proof of your qualifications (such as a medical license or law degree), taking a certification program and passing a final examination – all before being fully recognized in the field.

Those who are new to the world of IMEs might participate in ‘mock trials’ to prepare. In these, expert medical witnesses are often called on to ask a similar set of questions about their background, qualifications, and relationship to the patient. Accreditation programs can help prepare the expert for these questions

These certifications, as well as your foundational skills in the area where you practice, can all make you an ‘expert’ medical examiner. For those who are qualified in their specific fields, the accreditation process can move smoothly - as well as include a number of interesting new learning opportunities along the way.

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