WMU takes first step toward medical school

Western Michigan University has taken the first of five steps that could lead to national accreditation for establishing a medical school with its partners Borgess Health and Bronson Health Care.The process is moving forward thanks to a $1.8 million anonymous gift made to provide seed money for the next steps in the process, including the accreditation application and the search for a founding dean for the school. The dean search was launched in February.A school of medicine in Kalamazoo has been under discussion and in the planning stage since late 2007. Representatives of Borgess, Bronson and WMU traveled to Chicago for the initial meeting with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in January to begin the accreditation process.To get the process under way, WMU filed a formal letter of intent with the accrediting body for medical schools in the United States, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).Western is one of seven schools now seeking accreditation that have “applicant school status.” To achieve that status the LCME must determine the university meets basic eligibility requirements to proceed with accreditation. The school also must pay $25,000.In the next step, the university earns “candidate status.” In that step the school submits the required medical education database and planning self-study documents. They must be get a favorable review from LCME. At that point the accrediting body schedules a visit to the school.In the subsequent “preliminary accreditation” step, the LCME reviews a report from the team that visited the school and determines whether the program leading to the M.D. degree meets LCME standards.Once preliminary accreditation is granted, the program may begin to recruit applicants and accept applications for enrollment.In the fourth step in the process, “Provisional Accreditation,” the LCME reviews the school’s progress toward implementation of its medical degree program and evaluates the status of the school’s plans for later stages of the program. If LCME determines that its standards are met, it can vote to grant “provisional accreditation.” Once provisional accreditation is granted, enrolled students can continue their third- and fourth-year medical studies. Enrollment of new students can continue.A “full accreditation” survey visit  takes place late in the third year or early in the fourth year of the curriculum. The survey team then prepares a report of its findings for consideration by the LCME. If the survey team determines the M.D. program fully complies with all standards, a vote to grant “full accreditation” for eight years is taken. The clock on the eight-year full accreditation status starts when the program was first granted preliminary accreditation.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Cheryl Roland, WMU, and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education