Neil W. Schluger, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and professor of medicine at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York, recently announced
that the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) voted to reaffirm the School of Medicine’s (SOM) accreditation for the maximum eight-year period. This accreditation follows a rigorous two-year process that included a thorough self-study of all functions of a medical school from admissions policies and practices to research resources and opportunities to ensure the SOM meets the LCME’s specific 12 standards, as well as a visit to campus by an LCME Site Survey Team in April to meet with administrators, faculty, staff and students about all aspects of the medical school program, resources and facilities.
The LCME is officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit medical schools in the United States and Canada and has joint oversight by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association. For U.S. medical education programs, accreditation by the LCME establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs, eligibility of U.S. students in M.D.-granting schools to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination, and eligibility for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
“…The teamwork, camaraderie, and collegiality that was demonstrated over the last two years by all those who worked diligently toward this LCME reaccreditation was truly admirable. Throughout this process we have adopted and engaged in a culture of continuous quality improvement, and that will continue. We are committed to a process of continuous review that strives to provide the highest-quality education through the most effective means for our students. Today’s accreditation decision affirms that all degree-granting programs of all of the schools on the Valhalla campus, as well as all of our graduate medical and dental education programs and continuing medical education programs, are fully accredited by all pertinent agencies. This is a remarkable achievement in higher education,” said Schluger.
