UC Medical Education Program Receives Eight-Year Accreditation

CINCINNATI—The Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) has granted the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine an eight-year term of accreditation for its educational program leading to the doctor of medicine degree. The term is the longest available from the LCME.

Jointly sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association (AMA), the LCME is the accrediting agency in the United States and Canada for medical education programs offering medical degrees. Accreditation signifies that a medical education program meets national standards. Students must have graduated from a LCME-accredited medical school to be eligible to take the United Stated Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). 

"The continued eight-year accreditation is an honor to our overall medical education program,” said Thomas Boat, MD, dean of the College of Medicine and UC vice president for health affairs.

"We are especially delighted to receive such positive validation from the LCME in light of the increased scrutiny medical schools have been under of late” added Andrew Filak Jr., MD, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the college.  

A rigorous site inspection of the College of Medicine was conducted by an LCME survey team Oct. 16–19, 2011. A task force involving dozens of college faculty, staff and students began work in spring 2010 for an internal review in preparation for the full site inspection. 

"This accreditation is indicative not only of all who participated in the planning process, self-study and site visit, but of everything all faculty, staff and students do each day to ensure the success of our medical school. Everyone should feel proud of all their efforts,” Boat said. 

Filak noted that the inspection came just two months after the implementation of the college’s new curriculum. More than 100 faculty members and students participated in the curricular redesign that provides a more student-centric, integrated and active learning experience for medical students. For example, additional clinical experiences in the first year of the program, such as first responder training, and primary care experience that continues throughout the four years of medical education were added.

In a letter to UC President Gregory H. Williams announcing its decision, LCME leaders noted additional support and collaboration from a reorganized UC Physicians and the recently formed UC Health. "The alignment of (UC Physicians and UC Health) with the mission and vision of the college of medicine, have resulted in a new level of collaboration and common purpose. In light of a long history of decentralization, this new consolidation and collaboration appear to have stimulated a sense of unity, collegiality, and enthusiasm that promises to better support all of the college’s missions and enhance its ability to meet future financial and organizational challenges,” the letter read. 

More than 650 College of Medicine faculty physicians form University of Cincinnati Physicians, a part of UC Health and the region’s largest multi-specialty group practice. Doctors educate and train medical students and residents, treat patients and conduct medical research. Beginning in 2008, 16 separate departmental practices were consolidated into a single corporate entity. UC Health, comprised of UC Physicians, University Hospital, West Chester Hospital, Drake Center and the Lindner Center of HOPE, was formed in 2009 as the university’s health system.

The medical education program’s next full survey will take place during the 2018-19 school year.