LCME Accreditation
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredits all medical education programs in the U.S. and Canada. It 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.
Accreditation signifies that the national standards for structure, function and performance are met by a medical school’s education program leading to the MD degree, as defined in the document “Functions and Structure of a Medical School.” Accreditation by the LCME establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs.
Full Accreditation for School of Medicine and Public Health
In 2018, following more than two-years of self-study, LCME notified the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the School of Medicine and Public Health that it would continue full accreditation of the medical education program for the maximum eight-year term.
Accreditation followed a rigorous process within the school that embraced ongoing continuous quality improvement, as well as an in-depth self-study of all functions of a medical school from admissions policies and practices to research resources and opportunities. The committee’s review of the school included a site visit and review of a data collection instrument, which is a comprehensive document detailing the school’s ability to meet the 12 accreditation standards set by the LCME.
About our 2018 accreditation renewal
Preparing for Re-Accreditation
The School of Medicine and Public Health is currently preparing for re-accreditation. An LCME site visit will take place during the academic year 2025-26. Since its last accreditation, the School of Medicine and Public Health has been continually engaged in self-evaluation and improvement to meet and exceed LCME requirements.
Key Dates
- April 26, 2024: Kick off with LCME secretariat, 12:15-1:30pm in room 1345
- Before June 1, 2024: Subcommittees launch work
- November 2024: Launch Independent Student Analysis (ISA)
- March 1, 2025: ISA report due
- April 15, 2025: First draft Data Collection Instrument (DCI)
- May 23, 2025: Final draft DCI due
- Early October 2025: Mock visit
- December 19, 2025: DCI finished and sent to LCME
- April 13-15, 2026: Survey visit
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the LCME?
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 United States or Canada. In short, LCME accredits US allopathic medical schools.
What does LCME accreditation mean?
Accreditation signifies that national standards for structure, function and performance are met by a medical school’s education program leading to the MD degree, as defined in the document “Functions and Structure of a Medical School.” Accreditation by the LCME establishes eligibility for selected federal grants and programs. Most state boards of licensure require that U.S. medical schools be accredited by the LCME as a condition for licensure of their graduates. Eligibility of U.S. students to take the United States 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).
What is the timeline for our 2025-26 LCME reaccreditation?
View the timeline of major events related to our April 2026 LCME survey.
Who is leading our reaccreditation process?
Elizabeth Petty, MD, senior associate dean for academic affairs and Christine Seibert, MD, associate dean for medical education and student services serve as the co-Faculty Accreditation Leads (FAL). Megan Heneke, JD, director of education accreditation and compliance, is the administrative lead. Jessica Gould, MA, is the LCME site visit coordinator.
How are students involved in the LCME reaccreditation process?
Students are deeply involved in LCME accreditation, from sharing input with subcommittees to conducting the Independent Student Analysis (ISA) to meeting with the survey visitors during their visit. The LCME website outlines the students’ role in accreditation in greater detail.
What are the subcommittees and who leads them?
View information on our six subcommittees, their topic areas and who leads them.
What has happened since the last reaccreditation?
Preparing for reaccreditation does not just happen every eight years. Since our 2018 reaccreditation, the UW School of Medicine and Public Health has been engaged in ongoing and continuous quality improvement.
The Strategic Initiative and Accreditation Committee has met and continues to meet monthly to evaluate compliance with various LCME standards and elements as well as discuss, implement, and monitor schoolwide strategic initiatives.
Additionally, the Offices of Medical Education and Student Services have executed multiple quality improvement initiatives related to elements the LCME has deemed compliant but with a need for monitoring, and have submitted periodic status reports on those elements.
Finally, the Advisory Committee on Accreditation (ACA), which is comprised of students and administrators, has developed several improvement plans responding to internal and national student surveys and communicated action items to the student body through a “you said, we did” format.
How are our Statewide Campus sites involved?
Our statewide partners are integral to our accreditation process. Statewide Campus leaders serve on every subcommittee. Leaders from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health visit our campuses on a regular basis to engage with students and faculty and assess compliance with elements related to multiple campuses.