Robert Eaglen, Ph.D., wrote the book on the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)—literally. Academic Quality and Public Accountability in Academic Medicine details the 75-year history of the national accrediting body that monitors the quality of programs leading to the M.D. degree in the United States and Canada. Dr. Eaglen, the associate dean of quality initiatives in the College of Medicine, is its primary author.
For many years, Dr. Eaglen has led LCME teams around the county to evaluate institutions as part of the accreditation process. Who better to lead NEOMED’s College of Medicine toward its next accreditation visit, scheduled for March 24-27, 2019.
“He is one of the foremost authorities on the LCME, ‘’says Elisabeth Young, M.D., interim dean of the College of Medicine, who invited Dr. Eaglen back to the University for what he calls his second tour of duty, following an earlier stint as director of faculty and learning services. “We are so fortunate to have him here, and to have Allison Hawkes—Class of ’83! —working with him as the director of accreditation. We have a dynamic duo.’’
Student input is valued
To Dr. Eaglen, it’s a no-brainer that students should be eager to participate in the accreditation process at NEOMED, which begins with student surveys in January 2018.
“This is a rare opportunity for students to address problems that they see, because it will definitely get the attention of the College of Medicine. Knowing that outsiders will come in here to take a critical look at student issues guarantees that the College will take them seriously,’’ he says.
From his prior work with accreditation groups for disciplines such as physical therapy, social work and law, Dr. Eaglen is convinced that no other accreditor pays as much attention to its students as the LCME pays to medical students. So, he urges students: Fill out the Independent Student Analysis this January. And if you’re a graduating fourth-year student, don’t fail to fill out the AAMC survey next spring.
Students should also watch for more Accred the Med information to come from the Student Impact Committee.
An affiliation with NEOMED
Dr. Eaglen first got to know NEOMED when he was working for the Association of American Medical Colleges (which jointly oversees the LCME process with the American Medical Association) and invited Lois Nora, M.D., the University’s founding president, to join an evaluation team. Dr. Nora later invited him to join the NEOMED staff to help develop a culture of educational scholarship—guiding faculty in publishing more scholarly papers. He left the University in 2014 at age 66, thinking he was retiring, but he’s glad to be back to lead students and faculty through a key process.
This researcher is appropriately named; he is nothing if not eagle-eyed in his attention to detail. Check out Appendix D, the Historical Origins of LCME Standards and Elements. It’s a thorough, eye-opening review of how each of the standards has changed over the years. Through the LCME website, it’s possible to download a PDF or purchase a printed book via Amazon.
Learn more about the LCME and NEOMED.