SOM Accreditation
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Role of Students in MD Program Accreditation
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Student-based Information in the Accreditation Process
Students' Role in the Accreditation Process
General Areas Addressed in the ISA
Accreditation
- Evaluation of the quality of an educational program
- Method of ensuring programs/institutions “meet or exceed nationally accepted standards regarding the educational process and student performance”
- Accrediting body is the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
About LCME
- Supported by the American Medical Association (AMA) and Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) since founding in 1942
- Accrediting organization for the medical education programs in the US and Canada
- Sets standards for programs and assesses compliance with those standards
- Although voluntary, LCME accreditation is necessary for:
- Access to licensure exams (i.e., United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE))
- Admission to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) residency programs
- Eligibility for state medical licensure for graduates
- Federal grants and loans for students and schools
- Assesses each program every 8 years via a full survey site visit
- Assures high quality medical education and a high quality physician workforce for the public
- Conducts approximately 20-30 site visits per year
Accreditation Process
- Institutional self-study – self-analysis by the medical school of its performance based on the 12 standards and 92 elements (90 elements for schools without regional campuses)
- Survey visit – on-site evaluation by a team of external peer reviewers that extends over four days
- LCME review of the survey team findings from site visit
- LCME determination of accreditation status
Student-based Information in the Accreditation Process
- Independent student analysis (ISA) - review of topic areas relevant to students (completed by all four years of students)
- AAMC Medical School Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) (completed by fourth year students)
- Formal and informal meetings with the survey team during the site visit
Students' Role in the Accreditation Process
- Notification and possible meeting with the dean about the upcoming survey team visit
- Participation (via appointment) to the institutional self-study task force and committees
- Completion of the ISA (review of topic areas relevant to students)
- Participation in lunch meetings with survey team
- Service as a guide during site visit (e.g., tours of campus learning facilities, ambulatory care sites, affiliated hospitals, lounge areas)
General Areas Addressed in the ISA
- Student-Faculty-Administration Relationships
- Learning Environment and Facilities
- Library and Information Resources
- Student Services
- Medical Education Program
This document is a summary of The Role of Students in the Accreditation of U.S. Medical Education Programs. 2024-25_Role-of-Students_Full_2023-11-14.docx. Assessed June 30, 2025
Office of Medical Education, UMMC SOM; 06/30/2025
Email ummc_lcme@umc.edu for more information.
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