Accreditation

Scope of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education

Medical education programs leading to the MD degree in the United States and Canada are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. The committee’s scope is limited to complete and independent medical education programs whose students are geographically located in the United States or Canada for their education and that are operated by universities or medical schools chartered in the United States or Canada.

Purpose of LCME Accreditation

Liaison Committee on Medical Education accreditation is a voluntary, peer-reviewed process of quality assurance that determines whether the medical education program meets established standards. This process also fosters institutional and programmatic improvement. To achieve and maintain accreditation, a medical education program leading to the MD degree in the United States and Canada must meet the committee accreditation standards contained in the document Functions and Structure of a Medical School. Programs are required to demonstrate that their graduates exhibit general professional competencies that are appropriate for entry to the next stage of their training and that serve as the foundation for lifelong learning and proficient medical care. While recognizing the existence and appropriateness of diverse institutional missions and educational objectives, the committee subscribes to the proposition that local circumstances do not justify accreditation of a substandard program of medical education leading to the MD degree.

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

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Accreditation Status

The UNMC College of Medicine underwent a comprehensive self-study and site visit during the 2021-2022 academic year. The Liaison Committee on Medical Education determined that UNMC would receive full accreditation of the medical education program for an eight-year term. The next full survey visit is scheduled to occur in the 2029-2030 academic year.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education maintains a list of accredited MD programs in the U.S., which includes the accreditation status of the UNMC College of Medicine.