School of Medicine Receives Continued Full Accreditation from LCME

The UC Irvine School of Medicine has received continued full accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for another eight-year term, the longest possible term.

The LCME, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to an MD degree, conducted a comprehensive review of the school's medical education program earlier this year.

Following a comprehensive self-study by the School of Medicine of its own medical education, the LCME conducted a site visit in January and awarded the renewed accreditation in June. The review team praised the school's thorough preparation and commitment to excellence. 

"The LCME review team noted that they were impressed with our thorough and comprehensive self-study for accreditation and the seriousness with which we undertook this work," says Michael J. Stamos, MD, dean of the School of Medicine. "We are also thrilled to report that we did extremely well overall due to the efforts across all the mission areas at the School of Medicine."

The accreditation process involved more than 150 participants from across the school community, including administrators, department chairs, faculty, residents, staff, and students.

"This positive outcome and praise from the LCME and the review team are reflective of our shared commitment to serve and improve the lives of our students, faculty, staff and community," Stamos noted. "Each of you is a vital contributor to the success of our mission: Discover. Teach. Heal."

Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin, MD, MEd, vice dean for medical education, emphasized the collaborative nature of the achievement, calling it "truly a collaborative community effort that should make us all proud."

The accreditation carries significant benefits for the school and its students. LCME accreditation establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs, including Title VII funding administered by the U.S. Public Health Service, and enables students to take the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination. Graduates of LCME-accredited schools are also eligible for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

The School of Medicine has maintained continuous accreditation throughout its history, having been an LCME-accredited institution since 1961. The school's next accreditation visit is scheduled for the 2032-33 academic year.