Medical education program accreditation has its own language. Here are the top 10 terms and acronyms to be familiar with before the LCME visit in February:
Medical education program: The curriculum that leads to successful completion of a doctor of medicine (M.D.) degree; the LCME accredits the medical education program, not the School of Medicine broadly.
Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME): The accrediting body for medical education programs, co-sponsored by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Functions and Structure of a Medical School: The document published by the LCME containing the 12 standards and related elements for accreditation of medical education programs; topics include everything from lockers to learning environment.
Data collection instrument (DCI): The report we submitted that addressed each of the standards and elements of medical education accreditation.
Independent student analysis (ISA): Submitted as part of the DCI, the survey and report conducted by our medical students to discern strengths and opportunities from their perspective.
Survey visits: The site visit conducted by the LCME survey team to ascertain compliance with the accreditation standards, with questions formulated from the submitted DCI document.
Survey team: The team, usually consisting of five or six members, that conducts the survey; teams may also include a faculty fellow, nominated by the dean, who plays a significant role in their school¢s accreditation preparation in the future.
Continuous quality improvement (CQI): The approach the LCME requires to maintain a high-quality medical education program; our CQI committee reviews our compliance with LCME standards on a regular basis.
Curriculum Council: The School of Medicine body that oversees the curriculum of the medical education program.
