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LCME

Welcome to the Norton College of Medicine accreditation website. On October 29, 2019, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) Secretariat notified Upstate that it received full re-accreditation for the MD program after a rigorous and in-depth study conducted by a survey team in the spring of 2019. The LCME is the official accrediting organization for educational programs leading to the M.D. degree in the United States and Canada.

LCME review preparations are comprehensive and require a sustained and focused effort over approximately 2 years. The process leading up to the LCME site visit involves a comprehensive data collection effort. Several committees were formed with an estimated 100+ faculty, students, administration, staff, and alumni. In addition, medical students organized an Independent Student Analysis (ISA). Student engagement is a key cornerstone of LCME review. The ISA independently reviewed LCME compliance from students’ perspectives, and made recommendations for improvement that LCME Committees addressed in our review. The LCME preparations culminated in a survey visit on March 24-27, 2019 that the medical school hosted by an ad hoc team representing the LCME.

The LCME accreditation process provides an excellent opportunity for the members of this medical school community to deepen our understanding of all aspects of our M.D. degree program and to implement quality improvements through our formal self-study process. Following the successful re-accreditation in 2019, the College of Medicine will respond to recommendations for improvement raised through the self-study process, in particular to areas of performance noted as satisfactory with monitoring or unsatisfactory. The College’s Continuous Quality Improvement plan will incorporate new policies, processes, and procedures based on these continued efforts to improve the student educational experience.

LCME Explained

What is the LCME?

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) is officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit medical schools in the United States and Canada. It has joint oversight by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Medical Association (AMA) but is an independent organization.

How did we prepare for the LCME Process?

We prepared for our LCME Site Visit scheduled for March 2019 in the following ways:

  • In the years 2017-2018, Self Study Working Groups conducted a structured review of all aspects of our medical education program. They submitted their findings to the LCME Steering Committee who wrote a substantive report that was submitted to the LCME-appointed site team and review committee.
  • During this self-study process, medical students conducted an Independent Student Analysis and provided their report to the LCME Steering Committee.
  • In December 2018, the College of Medicine submitted a completed version of the Data Collection Instrument, the Independent Student Analysis, and a summary self-study report. The LCME-appointed team assigned to review our program then examined these materials.
  • In March 2019 an LCME-appointed team visited the School for four days to interview faculty, staff, and students and to tour major facilities.
  • In October 2019, the LCME voted to grant reaccreditation to the College of Medicine MD program for an eight-year term, with the next survey visit scheduled for 2026-2027.

For more information:
http://www.lcme.org/about.html


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