Liaison Committee on Medical Education Accreditation Review
The School of Medicine is scheduled for its major institutional reaccreditation review in February 2023. The review is conducted by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and leads to reaccreditation of the school’s undergraduate medical educational program (educational program leading to the MD degree).
The purpose of LCME accreditation:
LCME accreditation is a voluntary, peer-reviewed process of quality assurance that determines whether the medical education program meets established standards. This process also fosters institutional and programmatic improvement. To achieve and maintain accreditation, the school’s medical education program must meet the LCME accreditation standards contained in the LCME document Functions and Structure of a Medical School. The school is required to demonstrate that our graduates exhibit general professional competencies that are appropriate for entry to the next phase of their training and that serve as the foundation for lifelong learning and proficient medical care. While recognizing the existence and appropriateness of diverse institutional missions and educational objectives, the LCME subscribes to the proposition that local circumstances do not justify accreditation of a substandard program of medical education leading to the MD degree.
For medical education programs in the U.S., LCME accreditation establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs. Most state boards of licensure require that U.S. medical schools granting the MD degree be accredited by the LCME as a condition for licensure of their graduates. Eligibility of U.S. students in MD-granting schools to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) requires LCME accreditation of their school. Graduates of LCME-accredited schools are eligible for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
The process of LCME accreditation:
The LCME accreditation process has two general aims: to certify that a medical education program meets prescribed standards and to promote institutional self-evaluation and improvement. During the self-study, the school will bring together representatives of the administration, faculty, student body, and other constituencies to 1) collect and review data about itself and the educational program, 2) identify strengths and issues requiring actions, and 3) define strategies to ensure that the strengths are maintained and any problems are addressed.
A task force was appointed and is responsible for conducting the self-study. The task force will review information from the data collection instrument (DCI) and other sources related to its specific charge (e.g. educational program leading to the MD degree, medical students, faculty, resources, etc.) and will generate a report. This report, along with an updated DCI, and other supporting documents will be the material the team will study before making the visit.
The LCME site team usually consists of five senior faculty members from other U.S. medical schools and the visit lasts for two and one-half days. During the visit, the team will develop a list of the institutions strengths and areas of concern, and their summary findings will be reported to the Dean and Provost, Chancellor, and the University President at the end of the visit. The final report of the team is considered by the LCME at its next quarterly meeting at which time a decision about accreditation will be made. Our goal is to be granted the maximum accreditation period, which is eight years.
LCME task force meeting schedule
Thursday, January 20, 2022
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
LCME site visit
Sunday, February 19, 2023, to Wednesday, February 22, 2023