LCME Accreditation
UAB School of Medicine leaders, faculty, students and staff are preparing for renewal of the school’s accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) in 2022. The LCME is the nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in U.S. and Canadian medical schools. The LCME is sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association. In the United States, the accreditation status of programs leading to the MD degree is determined solely by the LCME.
Accreditation demonstrates to our students, prospective students and the public that the UAB School of Medicine has met and is maintaining a high level of standards set by our accrediting body. Students and graduates of LCME-accredited medical schools are eligible to take USMLE, enter residencies approved by the ACGME, and graduation from an LCME-accredited medical school is, in most states, a prerequisite for medical licensure.
Seeking LCME re-accreditation is a detailed process of institutional self-review to identify areas of strength and challenges to be addressed, and requires a great deal of input from students, faculty and staff. It is peer-reviewed by faculty and students at other schools and members of the general public who have been assembled and trained by the LCME to determine whether our medical education program meets established standards.
The UAB School of Medicine holds full accreditation from the school’s last full survey visit in 2014.
The accreditation process includes an independent student analysis and an institutional self-study, and culminates with the three-day survey visit by an LCME team April 10–13, 2022.
Leadership & Committees
Faculty Accreditation Co-Leads
Cathy Fuller, PhD
Professor, Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology
Gustavo Heudebert, MD
Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine
Site Visit Coordinator
Elizabeth Rahn, PhD
Administrative Director, Department of Medical Education
Executive Committee
Craig Hoesley, MD
Senior Associate Dean, Medical Education
Christina Grabowski, PhD
Associate Dean, Admissions and Enrollment Management
Toni Leeth, MPH
Associate Dean, Strategic Planning and Administration
Kevin Leon, MD
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education
Nicholas Van Wagoner, MD, PhD
Associate Dean, Students
LCME Standards
Institutional Setting
Standard 1: Mission, Planning, Organization and Integrity
Standard 2: Leadership and Administration
Faculty
Standard 3: Academic and Learning Environments
Standard 4: Faculty Preparation, Productivity, Participation and Policies
Standard 9: Teaching, Supervision, Assessment and Student & Patient Safety
Medical Students
Standard 3: Academic and Learning Environments
Standard 10: Medical Student Selection, Assignment and Progress
Standard 11: Medical Students Academic Supports, Career Advising and Educational Records
Standard 12: Medical Student Health Services, Personal Counseling and Financial Aid Services
Educational Resources
Standard 3: Academic and Learning Environments
Standard 5: Educational Resources and Infrastructure
Educational Program
Standard 6: Competencies, Curricular Objectives and Curricular Design
Standard 7: Curricular Content
Standard 8: Curricular Management, Evaluation and Enhancement
FAQs
What is LCME accreditation?
LCME accreditation is a process during which our medical school engages in a self-study of ongoing strengths and challenges as it relates to LCME standardscreates plans and activities to address areas of concern. The product of our self-study is evaluated by external reviewers during a survey visit, and a recommendation is made about our accreditation status.
Why is LCME accreditation so important?
LCME accreditation is a process that promotes continual reflection on how our medical school is performing according to our stakeholders (e.g., students, faculty, administration, health systems leaders) and relative to our peers. Without it, our medical students would not be eligible for USMLE or to attend ACGME-accredited residency programs.
What steps are involved in UABSOM’s reaccreditation?
Step 1: Survey site visit dates confirmed: 10-13 April 2022
Step 2: Three key submission components will be collected, reviewed, and analyzed:
- Data Collection Instrument (DCI) evaluating our performance within LCME’s 12 standards
- Independent Student Analysis (ISA): group of current medical students will survey their peers and compile a report focused on questions around LCME standards
- Self-Study: task force representing key medical school stakeholder groups who will undertake the process of evaluating the DCI and ISA to determine strengths and challenges related to accreditation elements, and to ultimately outline plans and activities undertaken in an effort to improve our medical school
Step 3: Package submitted to LCME
Step 4: On-site Survey Visit
Step 5: Notification of our accreditation status
How often does the LCME accreditation process take place?
Established medical education programs typically undergo the self-study process and a full survey visit every eight years. The LCME may request a full survey visit in less than eight years if there are questions around sustainability or quality of the medical education program.
When was UAB’s last LCME visit?
The School of Medicine’s last site visit was March 9-12, 2014.
When is UAB’s next LCME site visit?
The School of Medicine’s next LCME site visit is scheduled for April 10-13, 2022.
How is COVID-19 affecting the LCME process?
In response to COVID-19, the LCME has streamlined the self-study process by reducing the number of people expected to participate on a specialized task force responsible for creating the self-study summary highlighting our medical school’s strengths and challenges, and reducing the summary from 35 to 5 pages. At this time, we expect the scheduled on-site visit in April 2020 to take place.
Our school leaders have been conducting planning meetings virtually and are working remotely to complete submission components.
For more information or other questions, contact Elizabeth Rahn, PhD.