Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)

A Message From Interim Dean Digna S. Forbes, M.D.

Digna S. Forbes

The Meharry Medical College School of Medicine had the opportunity to host the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for an accreditation site visit March 21-23, 2022. During this time, the Survey Team had the opportunity to evaluate our educational program and speak with Meharry students, faculty and staff. Recently, we received a complete report of their findings and the LCME highlighted some areas of concern.

 

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education has decided to place our medical degree program on probation. We are, of course, disappointed to be in this position, but we appreciate LCME’s feedback and are confident in our ability to successfully address the LCME findings. Prior to the site visit, we had already identified and made progress on several of the issues as part of our larger strategic planning process.

 

Probationary status does not impact our medical degree program’s accreditation nor our students’ degrees and futures. Our program is still accredited, and our day-to-day operations and classes will continue as normal.

 

We are committed to being as transparent as possible throughout the process toward resolution, and will communicate regularly with students, faculty, staff and supporters. Meharry will take this opportunity to grow stronger as a 21st century medical school and is grateful for the continued support from our community.

 

Sincerely,

 

Digna S. Forbes, M.D., FASCP

Interim Dean, Meharry Medical College School of Medicine

On March 20-23, 2022, Meharry Medical College, School of Medicine will host a visit from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Medical education programs leading to the MD degree in the United States and Canada are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The LCME is jointly sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Medical Association (AMA).

 

To achieve and maintain accreditation, a medical education program leading to the MD degree in the United States and Canada must meet the LCME accreditation standards contained in the LCME document Functions and Structure of a Medical School. LCME accredited schools 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.

 

Accreditation by the LCME 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 LCME 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 (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). This visit and review occurs every 8 years.

 

We are currently in the data-collection phase of our institutional self-study, which will be submitted to the LCME secretariat in February 2022. Preparation of the self-study requires a massive effort by virtually every faculty member that contributes to the SOM educational mission. The students also contribute a critical element to the self-study by providing their opinions via the Independent Student Analysis (ISA) and the AAMC Graduation Questionnaire (GQ).

 

The institutional self-study is not just an exercise in collecting data about our educational program, but it provides us with an opportunity to improve the educational experience for our students. Indeed, a key element of the self-study involves strategies for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). Together with the ISA, the CQI provides us with the tools needed to offer an exceptional medical education program.

Click here to view LCME Survey Handout

ISA Timeline

October – November 2020

Survey Launch Date: October 6, 2020

Survey Completion Date: November 7, 2020

November 2020

Analysis of Data

March 2021

Provide Final ISA Report to FAL

ISA Committee Members

Mohamed Hammoud, Chair – c/o 2022

Rebekah Yearwood, Co-Chair – c/o 2023

Mr. Gerald Jones – c/o 2021

Ms. Alexis Hood – c/o 2021

Ms. Brittany Hopkins – c/o 2022

Ms. Ayotola Fatola – c/o 2021

Ms. Laurie Temiz – c/o 2022

Mr. Jordan Patrick – c/o 2022

Mr. Siddharth Patel – c/o 2022

Mr. Hasan Entwistle – c/o 2022

Mr. Oladipupo Anibire – c/o 2023

Mr. Terry Henry – c/o 2023

Ms. Brittny Dike – c/o 2023

Ms. Adetayo Abdulrazak – c/o 2023

Ms. Geryn Hasty – c/o 2023

Ms. Dorian Hill – c/o 2023

Mr. Kardeem Joseph – c/o 2023

Ms. Alexandria Clemmons – c/o 2024

Ms. Morgan Williams – c/o 2024

Ms. Simone Moore – c/o 2024

Mr. Alexander Fuentes – c/o 2024

Ms. Aisha Morafa – c/o 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the aim of the ISA?

The ISA is one of three major sources of student-based information that the survey team will use when it evaluates the medical education program. The other two sources of information are the AAMC GQ, and the students who meet with survey team members during the survey visit. These students will come from all years of the curriculum but may not necessarily constitute a representative sample of students’ opinions. To complement these other information sources, the ISA should be based on a comprehensive survey of students in all four years and cover a wide range of subjects important to students.

An accreditation survey is not an opportunity for individual students, faculty members, deans, or anyone else to involve the LCME in discussions about personal or academic grievances with the medical school. As an accrediting agency, the LCME and its survey teams concentrate only on making determinations about whether the medical education program is performing in a satisfactory way related to the accreditation standards and elements.

 

How many survey completions are we aiming for?

An effective ISA is based on data from the entire student body. A high response rate (at least 70-80% in total and by year) to the questionnaire survey is critical for the credibility of the data.

 

How long is the survey?

The survey should take between 30 – 40 minutes to complete.

 

Are my responses anonymous?

Yes. All survey responses are de-identified upon submission.

 

What if I have not had any sort of contact with any of the specific individuals mentioned in several of the survey questions? How am I supposed to rank them?

Please select the option – N/A = No opportunity to assess/Have not experienced this yet

 

What sort of changes will be made with the ISA findings?

Institutional responses to the ISA findings will be determined and communicated with students.

 

Who can I send a message to if I have questions regarding the survey or how my answers may be used?

The ISA committee chairs. Mr. Mohamed Hammoud, mhammoud19@email.mmc.edu or Ms. Rebekah Yearwood, ryearwood20@email.mmc.edu

 

Institutional Response to ISA Findings

The ISA is currently underway, and the responses are not yet available at this time. A notification will be sent to the student body when this information becomes available.

 

Resources: The Role of Students in the Accreditation of U.S. Medical Education Programs

Self-Study Task Force Chair

Dr. Digna Forbes

 

DCI Committee Chairs

Dr. Samuel Adunyah

Dr. Monique Bennerman

Dr. Allysceaeioun Britt

Dr. Roland Jones

Dr. Regina Offodile

Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims – FAL

Dr. Calvin Smith

Dr. Ruth Stewart

Dr. Cassandra Ward

 

Medical School/University Administrators

Dr. Peter Millet

Dr. Regina Offodile

Ms. Sandra Parham

Dr. Theodora Pinnock

Dr. Duane Smoot

Dr. Barbara Tharpe

Ms. Carmen Jones

 

Junior and Senior Faculty

Dr. Tameka Clemons

Dr. Millard Collins

 

Medical School Graduate in Residency

Dr. Michael Oluwole

 

Representatives of Clinical Affiliates

Dr. Sam Sells – VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims

Trustees of University

Dr. Jeannette South-Paul – Board of Trustee Member

 

Student Members

Mohamed Hammoud – Class of 2022

Rebekah Yearwood – Class of 2023

Nataki Duncan – Class 2024

Standard 1: Mission, Planning, Organization, and Integrity

Standard 2: Leadership and Administration

Chair – Dr. Digna Forbes

Administrative Staff – Dr. Mitzy Johnson

Dr. Peter Millet

Atty. Ronette Adams

Dr. Roland Jones

Dr. Duane Smoot

Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims

Dr. Edward Hills – Faculty Council Chair

 

Standard 3: Academic and Learning Environments

Chair – Dr. Samuel Adunyah

Standard 4: Faculty Preparation, Productivity, Participation, and Policies

Chair – Dr. Allysceaeioun Britt

Dr. Roland Jones

Dr. Cassandra Ward

Dr. Duane Smoot

Student Members

Ms. Yohanna Tesfaye – c/o 2022

Ms. Mary Skrabut – c/o 2023

Standard 5: Educational Resources and Infrastructure

Chair – Dr. Roland Jones

Administrative Staff – Ms. Melicent Davis

Dr. Monique Bennerman

Dr. Jamaine Davis

Dr. Damian Clarke

Dr. Digna Forbes

Dr. Peter Millet

Ms. Sandra Parham

Dr. Ruth Stewart

Dr. Carolyn Szetela

Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims

Dr. Cassandra Ward

Student Members

Ms. Vanessa Dlamini – c/o 2022

Mr. Brandon Anamah – c/o 2023

Standard 6: Competencies, Curricular Objectives, and Curricular Design

Standard 7: Curricular Content

Chair – Dr. Ruth Stewart

Administrative Staff – Mr. Javaris Neal

Dr. Stephanie Bailey

Dr. Billy Ballard

Dr. Monique Bennerman

Dr. Millard Collins

Dr. Susan DeRiemer

Dr. Tammi Lavender

Dr. Regina Offodile

Dr. Carolyn Szetela

Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims

Dr. Cassandra Ward

Dr. Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge

Student Members

Mr. Julius Henderson – c/o 2022

Ms. Oyindayo Hassan – c/o 2023

Ms. Maylander Menard – c/o 2023

Mr. Mauricio Downer – c/o 2023

Mr. Allison Randolph – c/o 2022

 

Standard 8: Curricular Management, Evaluation, and Enhancement

Chair – Dr. Cassandra Ward

Standard 9: Teaching, Supervision, Assessment, and Student and Patient Safety

Chair – Dr. Monique Bennerman

Dr. Richmond Akatue

Dr. Larry Alexander

Dr. Ruth Stewart

Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims

Student Members

Mr. Robert Hammond – c/o 2023

Ms. Shantal Salandy – c/o 2022

 

Standard 10: Medical Student Selection, Assignment, and Progress

Chair – Dr. Calvin Smith

Standard 11: Medical Student Academic Support, Career Advising, and Educational Records

Chair – Dr. Stephanie McClure

Atty. Ronette Adams

Dr. Monique Bennerman

Ms. April Curry

Ms. Carmen Jones

Dr. Theodora Pinnock

Ms. Miacia Porter

Ms. Pamela Rucker

Dr. Mitzy Johnson

Mr. Vincent Wilson

Student Members

Ms. Jennifer Black – c/o 2022

Mr. Andrew Grush – c/o 2022

 

Standard 12: Medical Student Health Services, Personal Counseling, and Financial Aid Services

Chair – Dr. Regina Offodile

Dr. Barbara Tharpe

Ms. Rochelle Tisdale

Dr. Sharda Mishra

Dr. Lisa Battle-Gwathney

Ms. Tammi Lavender

Mr. Sid Curry, CEO, Financial Wellness Group

Student Members

Ms. Ashley Vallesarmand – c/o 2022

Ms. Stephanie Smith – c/o 2023

 

Student ISA Team

Mr. Gerald Jones – c/o 2021

Ms. Alexis Hood – c/o 2021

Ms. Brittany Hopkins – c/o 2022

Ms. Ayotola Fatola – c/o 2021

Ms. Laurie Temiz – c/o 2022

Mr. Jordan Patrick – c/o 2022

Mr. Siddharth Patel – c/o 2022

Mr. Hasan Entwistle – c/o 2022

Mr. Oladipupo Anibire – c/o 2023

Mr. Terry Henry – c/o 2023

Ms. Brittny Dike – c/o 2023

Ms. Adetayo Abdulrazak – c/o 2023

Mr. Mohamed Hammoud, Chair – c/o 2022

Ms. Geryn Hasty – c/o 2023

Ms. Dorian Hill – c/o 2023

Mr. Kardeem Joseph – c/o 2023

Ms. Rebekah Yearwood, Co-Chair – c/o 2023

Ms. Alexandria Clemmons – c/o 2024

Ms. Morgan Williams – c/o 2024

Ms. Simone Moore – c/o 2024

Mr. Alexander Fuentes – c/o 2024

Ms. Aisha Morafa – c/o 2024