Dear School of Medicine community:

In January 2012, the OHSU School of Medicine is scheduled for a site visit by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting authority for all MD degree education programs. Preparations include a 15-month “self-study” to promote institutional evaluation, awareness and improvement. The self-study is a big undertaking and important for reasons beyond our accreditation.

With the right approach and commitment, the self-study can help us begin to consider creative ways to enhance our own education models and curriculum to better meet society’s evolving needs. Right now, collectively, academic medicine could be – and should be – doing more to reshape the health care landscape. How we educate the next generation of physicians, scientists and other clinicians is one way to have a profound effect on the future.

The self-study process associated with the LCME visit examines not only the undergraduate medical educational programs, but also graduate medical education, graduate studies education, finances, facilities, libraries, affiliated hospitals teaching programs, faculty and student resources. As we collect and review data about our educational programs, we will inevitably and simultaneously generate transformative ideas for our future. I am very excited about this potential. 

We are fortunate to have Tana A. Grady-Weliky, MD, Associate Dean for Medical Education, to guide us through both the self-study and the accreditation process. Dr. Grady-Weliky has developed an ambitious and inclusive plan, which includes nine faculty committees and one student committee to evaluate data throughout the education mission – admissions, faculty affairs, clinical education, basic science curriculum and more.

Meaningful change in our health care system depends on health education reform. I look forward to the results of this self-study because, as well as meeting and exceeding our accreditation requirements, they will help us contribute to that reform. It is an exciting time to be a health and science educator. I will keep you posted on the results of the self-study and I appreciate your involvement in this process.

As always, thank you for everything you do for OHSU.
 
Best regards,




Mark Richardson, MD, MBA
Dean, OHSU School of Medicine
President, Faculty Practice Plan