The College of Medicine at the University of Arizona functioned with a main campus in Tucson with a branch in Phoenix for five years before securing separate accreditation in 2012. The first College of Medicine - Phoenix cohort matriculated in July of 2013. The separate accreditation allows the College of Medicine – Phoenix to offer a unique curriculum that best serves its students, faculty, and community partners.
As described by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), accreditation “is a process by which institutions and programs undergo an extensive peer-based evaluation of their compliance with accepted standards for educational quality.” LCME accreditation signifies that national standards for structure, function, and performance are met by a medical school's education program leading to the MD degree. LCME accreditation establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs, including Title VII funding administered by the Public Health Service. Students and graduates of LCME-accredited medical schools are eligible to take the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (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 prerequisites for medical licensure in most states.
Once fully accredited, medical school accreditation is renewed at a maximum of eight years through a process known as a “full survey”, which includes data collection, self-study, and a site visit by an LCME site survey team. The LCME secretariat contacts the dean to establish visit dates for a 3-4 day visit from the survey team. A core group of dean-appointed faculty and staff then begin the process by gathering institutional data and engaging key stakeholders from across the institution in a year-long self-assessment and reflection process. The self-study team develops a report on institutional strengths, challenges, and areas of potential risk, which will help focus the inquiry of the survey team. Survey team findings are compiled into a detailed report, which forms the basis of the accreditation decision issued by the LCME.
The LCME accreditation focuses on twelve major areas, or standards, of a medical school:
- Mission, Planning, Organization, and Integrity
- Leadership and Administration
- Academic and Learning Environments
- Faculty Preparation, Productivity, Participation, and Policies
- Educational Resources and Infrastructure
- Competencies, Curricular Objectives, and Curricular Design
- Curricular Content
- Curricular Management, Evaluation, and Enhancement
- Teaching, Supervision, Assessment, and Student and Patient Safety
- Medical Student Selection, Assignment, and Progress
- Medical Student Academic Support, Career Advising, and Educational Resources
- Medical Student Health Services, Personal Counseling, and Financial Aid Services
Students play an active role in helping their medical school receive and maintain accreditation through providing student perspective surrounding the educational experience as a whole. For specific details on student involvement in the accreditation process, please see the LCME’s website.