Fall 2006 - North Dakota Medicine

NEWS BRIEFSMedical School Fully Reaccredited- Dean, Faculty, Curriculum PraisedThe University of North Dakota (UND)School of Medicine & Health Scienceswas fully reaccredited recently receivingpraise for its dean, faculty andcurriculum.Liaison Committee on MedicalEducation (LCME) voted to reaccreditthe UND medical school for eightyears.The committee listed several areasof institutional strength at the schoolincluding the vision and energy ofDean H. David Wilson in implementingthe Patient Centered Learning (PCL)curriculum at the school.PCL is innovative and preparesstudents exceptionally well for theirclinical (third and fourth years)education and the practice ofmedicine, the committees letter toUND President Charles Kupchella said.UNDs PCL curriculum teachesmedical students using real patientcases, where lectures, labs and smallgroup work help the students learn thebasic sciences behind the patientscondition and others like it.The committee also cited thecommitment and cooperative spirit ofthe volunteer faculty. More than 900clinical faculty members serve on apart-time or voluntary basis teachingmedical students in 30 communitiesthroughout the state during their thirdand fourth years of medical school.In addition, the schools RuralOpportunities in Medical Educationwas said to help address the statesphysician workforce needs in ruralareas and that it provides studentswith excellent opportunities foreducation in rural communities.The committee also applauded themedical schools focused and selfsustainingresearch program for itsgrowth and strength saying it is amodel for community-based medicalschools.The Indians into Medicine programwas also commended stating it has awell deserved national reputationwhile the schools Clinical EducationCenter is a model for clinical skillslearning, assessment andimprovement.We are very pleased our medicaleducation program has earned thisextraordinary vote of confidence fromthe accreditation body for all medicalschools in the nation, said Kupchella.I am so proud of all the great workthat our administrators, faculty, staff andstudents do here every day, saidWilson. Our full reaccreditation showsthat this small medical school has bigideas that produce great results.This is by far the best evaluationthe UND medical school has had, saidAssociate Dean for Administration andFinance Randy Eken, who has beenwith the school for more than 25 years.Accreditation is an evaluation thatdetermines whether an institution meetsestablished standards while encouragingimprovement. The process includesgathering school information to submitto the committee, conducting a selfstudyand a several-day site visit whenseveral members of the committee visitthe school.“We are very pleased ourmedical educationprogram has earned thisextraordinary vote ofconfidence from theaccreditation body for allmedical schools in thenation.”Charles E. Kupchella, Ph.D.President,University of North DakotaThe UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences is located on four campuses throughout North Dakota (from left): Bismarck, Fargo,Grand Forks and Minot.NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE Fall 2006 25