MD Program Accreditation

Accreditation is a process by which institutions and programs voluntarily undergo an extensive peer evaluation of their compliance with accepted standards for educational quality. In Canada, accreditation of undergraduate medical education is undertaken by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS). Full accreditation reviews of each medical school occur on an eight-year cycle.

NOSM University has embraced accreditation as part of its philosophy of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). The accreditation process is an opportunity for us to identify and implement necessary changes.

CACMS Accreditation Update – MD Program

On May 31, 2023, the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) issued its decision letter and findings to NOSM University in follow-up to the accreditation Limited Site Visit of the MD program conducted in October 2022. The Limited Site Visit was focused on 23 elements identified as either “Satisfactory with a need for monitoring” or “Unsatisfactory” after the Full Site Visit in 2020 or as potentially concerning due to the insolvency proceedings at Laurentian University.

The CACMS decision was to continue the accreditation for the remainder of the 8-year term with the next full accreditation to take place in the fall of 2028. Of the 96 required elements, the final status was deemed to be “Satisfactory (S)” in 89 elements, “Satisfactory with a need for Monitoring (SM)” in 4 elements and “Unsatisfactory (U)” in 3 elements – as illustrated in the following colour-coded table:

Understanding the Accreditation Process

Accreditation is essential to the maintenance of the quality of the MD Program. Preparations for the accreditation survey visit require support and collaboration across the whole University.