The Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for all medical education programs resulting in an M.D. degree in the U.S., made the determination on July 31, 2023, to grant Albert Einstein College of Medicine “full accreditation, on probation.” This status accords Einstein the opportunity, over a two-year period, to address the LCME's findings while retaining full accreditation. We will work closely with the LCME and our community members to resolve the elements of concern as quickly as possible.
Probationary status does not impact our medical degree program's accreditation, Einstein's ability to confer M.D. degrees during this time, or the bright futures of graduates. Our program's day-to-day operations will continue.
Given Einstein's collaborative environment, long history of teamwork, and commitment to excellence, we are confident that the College of Medicine will successfully respond to the LCME's concerns and have the probation status removed.
We are committed to remaining transparent as we resolve the LCME's findings. We will update this page regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the LCME accreditation process?
The LCME uses a peer review process sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association to provide medical schools with a full evaluation every eight years. The evaluation includes 93 elements in 12 standards. If a medical school fails to meet these standards, it can be placed on probation and has two years to make the appropriate corrections.
What does “full accreditation, on probation” mean?
In the case of Einstein, it means that the LCME has given the medical school two years to correct unsatisfactory accreditation elements they identified during their evaluation of the College of Medicine in 2023. Most important, Einstein remains a fully accredited medical school.
All fully accredited medical schools that received the status of “full accreditation, on probation” have been successful in responding to the LCME issues and had their probationary status resolved. None have lost accreditation.
Will this determination affect the student experience in the M.D. program?
This determination will not affect the day-to-day activities of our medical students or the outcomes of their education. For example, it will not affect:
- our ability to confer M.D. degrees to students during the probationary period.
- students' ability to take United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE).
- students' ability to be accepted in competitive residency programs.
- Einstein's class schedules, requirements, or educational progress.
- financial aid offered to our students.
We are committed to investing significant resources to further strengthen our overall M.D. program and improve upon the already stellar educational experiences and preparation for residency we provide to our M.D. students.
What were the LCME's findings?
The LCME determined that Einstein was not compliant in a range of accreditation elements relevant to our institutional processes and educational programs. These include: the absence of a strategic plan; lack of an effective, continuous quality improvement system; insufficient curricular management; and incomplete career counseling.
The strength of our M.D. educational experience was acknowledged by LCME reviewers during their site visit. Einstein students excel on national licensing exams, achieve the residency matches they desire, and are lauded by residency directors across the country for their strong performance in their programs. It should also be noted that Einstein's 10,000 alumni include some of the most successful and distinguished physicians and scientists in the world.
When will Einstein come off probation?
Before this status can be resolved, the LCME needs to determine that students recognize the improvements Einstein makes in response to their findings, which they will determine through regular surveys. Because the LCME wants to see sustained improvement in student survey results, this process typically takes about two years from the initial designation of “full accreditation, on probation.”
What is Einstein doing to address the LCME's findings?
Our leadership, faculty, staff, and students have already corrected some of the issues identified by the LCME and have begun to correct the other issues related to this decision.
As we move forward, we will work closely with the LCME and the Einstein community to resolve the remaining accreditation elements that were identified in their findings. We will, for example, create working groups, including student members, to assess our progress, and provide the Einstein community with frequent updates to the changes taking place. We will also reach out to our clinical partner institutions and engage them in developing solutions.
Is Einstein accredited by other institutions?
Einstein is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the New York State Department of Education.
How does this affect Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows?
Our Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows are not affected by the LCME's determination as the Committee does not accredit their programs.