The LCME, an accrediting body for medical education programs leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree, is jointly sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association.

The UGA School of Medicine will host a site visit this fall to determine compliance with LCME accreditation standards. A team appointed by the LCME will visit the University of Georgia and the School of Medicine to tour the facilities, review submitted materials, receive updates on the progress of the new building and meet with various participants regarding planning, curriculum and the readiness of the admissions process along with proposed student support services.

“Reaching candidate status with the LCME is yet another historic milestone for the School of Medicine,” said Founding Dean Shelley Nuss. “Our faculty and staff are working tirelessly to prepare for the upcoming site visit as we work to obtain preliminary accreditation status. Once the medical education program has reached preliminary accreditation, the School of Medicine may begin to recruit the inaugural class of UGA medical students.”

The UGA School of Medicine will generate between $1.8 billion and $2.3 billion in cumulative economic impact on the state of Georgia by 2040, according to an analysis conducted by the nationally recognized consulting firm Tripp Umbach.

The next major milestone for the School of Medicine will come in May, when construction on the Medical Education and Research Building will begin. The new facility will measure approximately 93,600 square feet and will include research laboratories, a simulation and clinical skills center, an anatomy lab, active-learning classrooms, student support spaces and a medical library. The Medical Education and Research Building is scheduled to be completed in December 2026.