Dress rehearsal underway for LCME reaccreditation

Practice makes perfect so the saying goes. Maybe it is also true for the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine as it moves through the reaccreditation process with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). 

LCME is the official accrediting body for medical schools in the United States and Canada and is reviewing comprehensive data on the university’s medical school as part of an institutional self-study with plans to make an official site visit in October 20-23. In preparation of that visit, the College of Medicine will hold two ‘mock visits’—one June 3-4 and a second visit set Sept. 9-10.

“It will be very good practice in terms of logistics with the official survey team,” says Pamela Baker, PhD, associate dean of medical education and faculty accreditation lead. “We have already done a dry run of a college tour for the team, provided guidance to participating faculty and students on questions they may be asked, and reviewed etiquette involved for the entire process.”

The LCME survey team reviews a host of topics ranging from mission, leadership and faculty preparation to academic and learning environments, along with curricular objectives and assessment. The survey team also reviews student/patient safety, medical student selection, academic support, career advising, assignment, health and counseling services, and financial aid.

You can read more about UC’s LCME reaccreditation process online.

A LCME Self-Study Taskforce and six subcommittees of faculty, staff and medical students at the College of Medicine have spent the past 14 months working with LCME to produce a 35-page Self-Study Summary Report, a completed Data Collection Instrument and an Independent Student Analysis. The information has been shared with a team of reviewers hired by the college to participate in the mock visit.

That team includes three high-level administrators from other medical schools who have experience with LCME and expertise in the areas of medical school leadership, student affairs and admissions and curriculum oversight, says Baker. The self-study has allowed the college to address areas that need improvement and potential areas of concern by LCME.