Students allowed to clinically train in fall

Almost three years after its opening, UCF's College of Medicine was granted provisional accreditation this month, making the college just one authorization away from full accreditation.

The decision came from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education after a survey team visited the college in February and assessed the school's progress.

The LCME, which is a nationally recognized authority in accrediting medical schools, awarded the provisional status after evaluating the college on 132 medical and educational standards. Once granted full accreditation, the college will be able confer degrees to enrolled students.

"Right now, we have the fullest accreditation that we can in our point in history," Wendy Sarubbi, coordinator for the College of Medicine, said. "The committee determined that we're on track and I think it says a lot about the quality of our program."

Dr. Richard Peppler, the college's associate dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs, said that with the provisional status, students are now allowed to engage in clinical training.

"This recent grant means a lot to the university and faculty, but it really means the most to the students who are training so they can be awarded their M.D.," Peppler said.

Full accreditation for the college will be decided on in 2013, when 2009's charter class is in its fourth year of the program. Before then, the faculty expects the survey team to make another visit, likely in the fall of 2012. Peppler said each verdict is based on how the College of Medicine meets educational criteria.

"The team that came on site were the eyes and the ears of the LCME, and for them to say, ‘Good job, you're doing things well,' and that we can continue, that's a nice a feather in the cap of all of the faculty and the students," Peppler said.

To be granted full accreditation, Peppler said the college must meet the same standards as they were evaluated on previously. In addition, the survey team will look at the college's use of elective courses and programs that fit the needs of students.

"There will be no slacking off," Peppler said. "We're going to be working as hard as we can up to fall 2012 when the school is evaluated for the final time."

Second-year College of Medicine student Avianne Mills feels this latest step in accreditation is a validation of her decision to attend the school.

"Over the past year, I've had such an innovating experience [studying at the college]," Mills said. "For each one of us, it was sort of like an investment, choosing to come to a school where full accreditation hadn't yet been received. I feel that this recent step in accreditation is really more of a confirmation how great this program is."

Sarubbi said the college is expected to grow by 80 students this fall. By the time accreditation is expected to be granted in 2013, the college will have an estimated 120 new students with more than 100 preparing to graduate.

Students graduating from the college will be entering the workforce with an advanced skill set, but will also get hands-on experience and provide health care for residents in the area who need it. Recently, the American Medical Student Association awarded the College of Medicine the Paul R. Wright Award in acknowledgement of its volunteerism.

"Community service is a big part of the College of Medicine," Sarubbi said. "In a big way, the surrounding community helped to create the college, so the students are always giving back in recognition of that."

Mills agreed, noting hands-on volunteering helps to shape the learning process.

"A medical school is really there to serve its community, and it's definitely a key ingredient in our learning process," Mills said. "We're given ample opportunities to do that here which is one of the reasons why I chose UCF. The volunteering we do really instills the understanding of what we're going into medicine for — which is to serve others."

However, it isn't just the award-winning service projects that attract students, Sarubbi said. She credits the college's high-tech facility as a sizeable factor in their progress as an up-and-coming medical school.

"The technology in our college really allows us [as faculty members] to prepare our students to be doctors in the 21st century," Sarubbi said.

With her first year under her belt, Mills is confident that UCF's College of Medicine was the right choice for her and will only continue to grow as a competitive medical school.

"I'm confident that it is really going to prepare me to be the best physician I can be," Mills said.