Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine achieves milestone

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) has awarded preliminary accreditation to the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.

The LCME is the national accrediting authority for medical education programs in the U.S. and Canada. To obtain preliminary accreditation, Oakland University filed an application with the LCME in August 2009 and was visited by an LCME survey team in November 2009. At a February meeting in Chicago, the LCME voted to grant preliminary accreditation to the school based on its survey team’s report. 

“We are delighted that the LCME has recognized the quality and value of our team’s efforts to create a dynamic learning environment to produce highly competent, patient-centered doctors with a commitment to lifelong learning,” said Robert Folberg, M.D., founding dean of the medical school. "This important milestone keeps us on track to begin instruction in August 2011."

Along with providing new medical education opportunities for students, the school will help to create jobs and infuse the region’s economy with millions of dollars. It will also enhance medical care throughout the region by ensuring a future supply of physicians, advancing medical research and attracting top-level medical leaders and students from around the country.

“This is a historic day for Oakland University and for southeastern Michigan as a whole,” said Dr. Virinder Moudgil, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Oakland University. “This significantly expands our commitment to the role higher education will play in the region and the state, and it shows that we’re ready and able to build an innovative, knowledge-based economy for the future.”

“Beaumont has long been a national leader in providing post-graduate residency and fellowship training for physicians,” said Ananias Diokno, M.D., chief medical officer at Beaumont Hospitals. “Our involvement in this new medical school will attract even more medical talent to us and to the region – benefitting our patients and the communities we serve.” 

As part of the OU-Beaumont partnership, students will receive instruction in basic sciences and research at the school of medicine on Oakland University’s campus in Rochester, and take part in clinical training and applied research at Beaumont Hospitals. Operation of the school will be supported with revenue from tuition, commercialization of intellectual property, partner contributions, research grants and philanthropy.