UNMC College of Medicine Dean Bradley Britigan, MD, has been named chair-elect of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
The LCME is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting agency for allopathic medical education programs leading to the MD degree in the United States.
Dr. Britigan first was named to the LCME in 2022 for a three-year term. His term as chair-elect, which began at the end of June, will run from one year, followed by a one-year term as chair and then a one-year term as immediate past chair.
Dr. Britigan said: “The LCME accreditation process plays a critical role in shaping the nature and quality of medical education in our country. This in turn determines the skillsets of the next generation of physicians. Helping lead the LCME is an exciting opportunity to improve the quality of U.S. health care by ensuring that the graduates of our medical schools are well prepared for the future demands of the practice of medicine.”
Dr. Britigan is not the first UNMC leader to have a major leadership role in the LCME. University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, former UNMC chancellor, co-chaired the LCME from 2011-13 and was the sole chair from 2013-14.
The LCME is jointly sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association. It provides accreditation through a voluntary, peer-reviewed process of quality assurance that determines whether a medical education program meets established standards while also fostering institutional and programmatic improvement.
UNMC received its most recent eight-year accreditation in 2022. At the time, Dr. Britigan noted that the process, due in part to its rigor, was critical to validate the quality of the medical school and assure its future success.
Dele Davies, MD, interim chancellor of UNMC, said Dr. Britigan’s new role speaks to the national stature of the medical school.
“Dr. Britigan will bring an insightful educator’s eye to the LCME in his new role,” Dr. Davies said. “His colleagues at UNMC are familiar with his expertise and commitment to educational excellence, and we expect the LCME to benefit from his years of experience in accreditation-related matters and other areas of undergraduate medical education as the UNMC College of Medicine does.”