LCME Accreditation

Disclosure and Transparency Requirements for Academic Programs with Licensure/Accreditation

The Wayne State University School of Medicine’s (WSUSOM) MD program is nationally accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The LCME is jointly sponsored by the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges. The LCME is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting agency for medical education programs leading to the MD degree.

Most state boards of licensure require that applicants graduate from a U.S. medical school accredited by the LCME as a condition for licensure. In addition, most state boards of licensure require that U.S. applicants take and pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). For U.S. medical students to be eligible to sit for the USMLE, their school must be accredited by LCME. Graduates of LCME-accredited schools are also eligible for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

The Association of American Medical Schools (AAMC) confirms that MD graduates of an LCME-accredited medical school meet the undergraduate medical education (UME) requirements of physician licensing boards in all 50 States, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Such graduates also meet the UME requirements to sit for USMLE licensure exams. Because physician licensure requirements can change at any time and because some States may have additional requirements, such as those relating to graduate medical education (GME), students are well-advised to contact the applicable State licensing board in any State in which they are seeking licensure. For more detail see this AAMC Policy Advisory.

What is the scope and purpose of LCME accreditation?
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the reliable authority for the accreditation of medical education programs leading to the MD degree. In the U.S. and Canada, these programs are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The accreditation process is a voluntary, peer-reviewed process of quality assurance that determines whether the medical education program meets 12 standards consisting of 93 elements.

Most state boards of licensure require that U.S. medical schools granting the MD degree be accredited by the LCME as a condition for licensure of their graduates. Eligibility of U.S. students in MD-granting schools to take the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) requires LCME accreditation of their school. Graduates of LCME-accredited schools are eligible for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). For U.S. medical education programs, accreditation by the LCME establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs, including Title VII funding administered by the U.S. Public Health Service.

(Excerpted from the LCME website.)
How often does LCME occur?
Generally, LCME accreditation occurs every eight years. WSUSOM received its last letter of accreditation in 2023. If the LCME has concerns about a school’s ability to meet accreditation requirements, they may offer a provisional accreditation and return prior to the eight-year cycle.
What steps are involved in the LCME process?
The accreditation process occurs over 18 months and consists of an institutional self-study ending with a peer review/site visit. These steps include the following:
1. Completion of a Data Collection Instrument that contains the school’s response to meeting 12 standards and 93 elements.
2. Student body completes an Independent Student Analysis (ISA).
3. Institutional Self-Study Taskforce consisting of several sub-committees receives the DCI and ISA to write self-study reports and a summary report.
4. Three-day visit by a group of Faculty Members/Deans from other medical schools who review the school’s submitted documents and interview faculty, students, and residents
What are the components of accreditation?
Schools are asked to meet 12 standards consisting of 93 data elements. These 12 standards span the entire mission of the medical school and cover the following topics:
1. Mission, Planning, Organization and Integrity
2. Leadership and Administration
3. Academic and Learning Environments
4. Faculty Preparation, Productivity, Preparation, and Policies
5. Educational Resources and Infrastructure
6. Competencies, Curricular Objectives, and Curricular Design
7. Curricular Content
8. Curricular Management, Evaluation, and Enhancement
9. Teaching Supervision, Assessment, and Student and Patient Safety
10. Medical Student Selection, Assignment, and Progress
11. Medical Student Academic Support, Career Advising, and Educational Records
12. Medical Student Health Services, Personal Counseling, and Financial Aid Services