The 51ԹϺ School of Medicine has been granted full accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for schools of medicine in the U.S. and Canada.
This completes a three-step accreditation process for the medical school, which earned preliminary accreditation in 2016 and welcomed its charter class of students in July 2017. The school achieved provisional accreditation in 2019. Full accreditation means the 51ԹϺ School of Medicine has been found to meet or exceed national standards for structure, function, and performance.
“Full accreditation is an important milestone both for the university and the countless individuals who’ve dedicated so much to establish and build a thriving School of Medicine,” said 51ԹϺ President Keith E. Whitfield. “Today’s announcement is years in the making, and is a testament to the school’s faculty, staff, and exceptional future physicians who are committed to improving health care in Southern Nevada. To everyone who has supported our School of Medicine, we celebrate this achievement with you.”
The LCME typically conducts three separate site visits to a medical school during its first four years to review all aspects of its operations. During the LCME’s most recent visit, conducted virtually in October 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reviewers inspected more than a thousand pages of narrative and data. Throughout the accreditation process, LCME reviewers analyze more than 90 different areas of the school, including facilities, faculty, curriculum, finances and student advancement.
“On behalf of the Board of Regents, I congratulate 51ԹϺ and the team at the 51ԹϺ School of Medicine for all of their hard work and dedication to bring this project to fruition,” said Dr. Mark W. Doubrava, chair of the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents. “I would especially like to thank Deans Barbara Atkinson, John Fildes, and Marc Kahn. They persevered in achieving this full accreditation during challenging times. It’s a proud day for Nevada and everyone who contributed to the success of 51ԹϺ School of Medicine.”
The School of Medicine’s current dean, Dr. Marc J. Kahn, received the news from the LCME this morning.
“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the process, as it’s truly a team effort,” said Dr. Kahn. “Dr. Neil Haycocks, vice dean for academic affairs, and our director of admissions, Cindy Stella, led our team and deserve special mention. This is great news for 51ԹϺ and our community.”
The 51ԹϺ School of Medicine is directly addressing the critical shortage of health care professionals in Southern Nevada. An emerging leader in medical education and innovative practice, the school – which is now fully accredited – is training future Nevada physicians, serving the community, and elevating patient care for a diverse, urban region. The school currently has 240 students, 150 faculty physicians and more than 300 medical residents and fellows. The school’s charter class, which began in summer 2017, is due to graduate in May.
A new five-story, 135,000 square-foot Medical Education Building is now under construction in the Las Vegas Medical District through a partnership with the Nevada Health and Bioscience Corporation. The facility, which is scheduled to be completed in 2022, will act as the school’s permanent campus, allowing expanded class sizes and providing space for additional research activities.
