One step closer to an East Texas medical school

TYLER — A medical school is one step closer to becoming a reality in East Texas. UT Health Science Center at Tyler, which is an instructional site of UT Tyler, said Friday, that the Liaison Committee on Medical Education classified UTHSC as an “applicant” school for LCME accreditation. This body, is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for medical education programs that led to Doctor of Medicine degrees in the U.S. and Canada. The LCME accreditation, is the avenue that institutions become eligible for federal grants and programs.

Most state boards of licensure require U.S. medical schools awarding an MD degree be accredited by LCME. The accreditation determines if a medical education program meets established standards and fosters institutional and program improvement.

“This marks a great milestone that the medical school has completed the first step toward LCME full accreditation,” said UT Tyler President Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP. “Applicant status is followed by candidate status, preliminary accreditation, provisional accreditation, then full accreditation. The awarding of accreditation status and the timing of those awards are entirely at the discretion of the LCME.”

UTHSCT will have to submit more documents in April to be reviewed and presented to the LCME board in June. After this, the medical school in Tyler could be deemed a “candidate” school. LCME leadership will conduct site visits sometime in the fall. Preliminary accreditation could be granted as early as February 2022. The university cannot interview or advertise for students until preliminary accreditation is achieved. The recruitment could likely begin as soon as May next year.