CMED achieves next step in LCME accreditation process
The College of Medicine has achieved an additional step in its journey to full accreditation.
According to a Friday news release, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the national accrediting authority for medical education programs, notified the university of its vote to continue preliminary accreditation status earlier this afternoon, following initial preliminary accreditation on Feb. 24.
Ernest Yoder, founding dean of CMED, said he was pleased with the positive response from LCME.
"This notification reflects the confidence LCME has in our medical education program and takes us one step closer to establishing America's 137th medical school," Yoder said in the release.
CMED began its path to accreditation with LCME in 2009. Full accreditation is anticipated following the graduation of the first class of students in 2017.
LCME addressed the following standards in its report on accreditation: bylaws, medical student interaction with other health professionals, residents, physicians and trainees, research opportunities, financial aid and debt counseling, learning environment and professionalism, student mistreatment, sufficient faculty, and dean and faculty determination of academic policies.
The survey visit for provisional accreditation from LCME will take place during the 2014-15 academic year. Yoder previously told CM Life that he expects to receive provisional accreditation in 2015.
The LCME report released following preliminary accreditation highlighted three areas of strength at CMED, CM Life reported previously. These strengths were engagement with the regional community, a successfully-created structure for implementing a regional approach to medical education and the university’s experience with distance learning.
Assistant Director of Admissions for CMED Jennifer Paulke told CM Life previously that she was excited to see the establishment of the college at the university.
“I want to see CMU become a preferred destination for prospective medical students who want to become primary care physicians in rural and underserved communities in central and northern Michigan,” Paulke said.
Since June, when applications began being accepted for the inaugural class, the college has received 2,655 student applications, according to the release. Sixty will be accepted for the first class, to begin studies next summer. Applications are due by Dec. 15.
It was announced at Thursday's Board of Trustees meeting that $19 million has been raised for the college. A $25 million gobeen as been set.
