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Who accredits medical schools? What standards are used to accredit
schools?
In the United States, the accreditation status of programs leading
to the M.D. degree is determined solely by the Liaison Committee on Medical
Education (LCME). In cooperation with the Committee on Accreditation of
Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS), the LCME also accredits M.D. programs
in Canada. To be accredited, programs must meet the national standards
described in the document, Functions and Structure
of a Medical School. For further information, refer to the Overview
and Accreditation Procedures sections of
this site.
Why are there two LCME offices? Which one should I contact?
The LCME is jointly sponsored by the Association
of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Council on Medical Education
of the American Medical Association (AMA).
The AAMC and the AMA each appoint an LCME Secretary and maintain accreditation
offices in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, respectively. Primary responsibility
for coordinating survey visits, hosting LCME meetings, and serving as LCME
spokesman (the "principal Secretary") alternates between the
offices each academic year. In even-numbered years beginning each July
1, the principal Secretary is at the AAMC. In odd-numbered years beginning
each July 1, the principal Secretary is at the AMA. Contacts
to either office should provide answers to any questions.
How many medical schools are accredited by the LCME? Is (a particular
medical school) accredited by the LCME? Is a list of accredited schools
available?
Currently, the LCME accredits 125 programs leading to the M.D. degree
in the United States; and, together with the Committee on the Accreditation
of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS), accredits 17 M.D. programs in Canada. See
the Directory of Accredited Medical Education Programs
for a complete list. Lists of accredited schools in the U.S. and Canada also
are published each fall in the Medical Education Issue of the Journal of the
American Medical Association (JAMA).
Why is accreditation important?
Accreditation signifies that national standards for structure,
function, and performance are met by a medical school's education program
leading to the M.D. degree. LCME accreditation is required for schools
to receive federal grants for medical education and to participate in federal
loan programs. Students and graduates of LCME-accredited medical schools
are eligible to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
These graduates also have eligibility to enter residencies approved by
the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Graduating
from an LCME-accredited U.S. school and passing the national licensing
examinations are accepted as prerequisities for medical licensure in most
states.
How can I order LCME publications?
All LCME publications are available as downloadable
as PDF files.
Does the LCME accredit international medical schools? If not,
who does?
The LCME accredits only M.D. programs in the U.S. and Canada. There
is no single authority accrediting medical education programs abroad. Certain
countries have their own processes for educational quality assurance or accreditation,
including the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, and others.
Does the LCME accredit osteopathic medical schools?
No. Osteopathic medical schools are accredited by the American
Osteopathic Association, Chicago, Illinois, 312-280-5842.
Does the LCME rank medical schools according to quality?
Medical schools are not ranked. The LCME evaluates educational
programs according to standards for organization, function, and performance,
but does not attempt to stratify institutions according to their characteristics.
Medical schools differ greatly: whether they are private or state-supported,
free-standing, or part of a parent university. They differ in their dependence
on state appropriations, tuition, and income from clinical services and
research; their relative emphasis on teaching, research, and medical practice;
the size of their faculties and enrollments; the scope of their research
and production of future scientists and teachers; and their emphasis on
primary care and the training of future community physicians. While the
quality of education is partly determined by the organization of programs
and adequacy of resources, it also depends on the dedication of the faculty
to teaching and to creating an environment conducive to learning. These
and other important attributes may be obscured by efforts to rank schools
by such variables as their size and the reputation of the faculty, level
of research funding, or clinical facilities.
How can I register a complaint about a medical school to the LCME?
You should contact the office of the "principal LCME Secretary"
and request a copy of the LCME's policy for handling complaints. The statement
of policy and procedures will explain the grounds and procedures for filing
a compliant. The policy and procedures are published as Appendix D in the LCME's
Rules of Procedure. Copies of the policy
are available from either LCME office.
What does accreditation cost? How is the LCME funded?
The LCME does not collect dues or charge fees for accreditation
services, except for schools requesting initial, provisional accreditation.
The operating funds for the LCME are allocated by the AAMC and AMA sponsors
from their dues and other income. Costs related to accreditation are equally
split between the AAMC and AMA Secretariats of the LCME.
Where can I find information about LCME requirements for new medical
schools?
The document, LCME Accreditation
Guidelines for New and Developing Medical Schools describes the minimum
requirements for consideration by the LCME for granting intitial, provisional
accreditation of a new program leading to the M.D. degree.
When is my medical school due for its next full LCME accreditation
survey?
Refer to the Directory of Accredited Medical
Education Programs which lists the academic year of the next survey for
each U.S. and Canadian medical school. Schedules for full LCME surveys in the
current and following
years are available online or contact either LCME office.
When will our school receive materials and instructions for preparing
the medical education database and conducting the institutional self-study
in preparation for our next LCME accreditation survey?
Pre-survey materials--database materials and instructions for completion,
copies of LCME standards and rules of procedure, and guidebooks about the self-study,
role of students, and preparation of the survey report--are shipped to medical
school deans approximately 18 months prior to the scheduled date of the next
full accreditation survey.
Now that our school's on-site visit date has been set, when will
we receive information about developing the visit schedule, hotel arrangements,
and visit logistics? Who will serve on the survey team visiting my school?
The principal LCME Secretary will send the dean a package
of information approximately three months prior to the survey visit. This
mailing will include the Guidelines for the
Conduct of an Accreditation Survey, which describes the dean's
responsibilities and includes a suggested schedule for the visit. A complete
list of team members will be provided at that time.
Whom can I contact with questions about completing the medical
education database, or if we're having trouble with the database on diskette?
Questions about the medical education database can be directed to either
LCME office, though it's usually best to contact the LCME Secretary designated
as the "principal" Secretary for the academic year of your survey.
For assistance with the computer diskette version of the database, contact Susan
Mortensen, Manager, Accreditation Services, AAMC.
What are some sources for further information on the following
subjects:
AMA member services | AAMC member
services | Canadian medical schools | Applying
to medical school | USMLE exams | Residency
programs | Certification of foreign medical graduates
| Medical licensure, by state | International
medical schools
American Medical
Association (AMA)
515 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone: 312-464-5000
Association of American
Medical Colleges (AAMC)
2450 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone: 202-828-0400
Association of Faculties
of Medicine of Canada (formerly the Association of Canadian Medical Colleges)
774 Echo Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5P2
Canada
Telephone: 613-730-0687
Fax: 613-730-1196
Residency programs/graduate medical education:
Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
515 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone: 312-755-5000
Certification of foreign medical graduates:
Educational Commission
for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
3624 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2685
Telephone: 215-386-5900
Medical licensure for each state:
Federation of State
Medical Boards (FSMB)
400 Fuller Wiser Road, Suite 300
Euless, TX 76039
Telephone: 817-868-4000
Administration of USMLE Steps 1, 2,
and 3:
National Board
of Medical Examiners (NBME)
3750 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3190
Telephone: 215-590-9500
International medical schools (outside U.S. and Canada):
World Health Organization
(WHO)
525 23rd Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone: 202-974-3000
Revised 14 May 2008
© 2008 LCME