From Sept. 16–17, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) completed its preliminary accreditation site visit for the University of Georgia School of Medicine. The review is a necessary and significant process for the school to obtain official accreditation.

A team of surveyors from the LCME spent two days on site, conducting a thorough review of the School of Medicine’s policies, educational programs and facilities. The purpose of the visit was to determine if the educational program has made sufficient progress toward compliance with relevant accreditation standards and has developed satisfactory plans for its ongoing operations.

“The UGA School of Medicine continues to make tremendous strides, with this site visit moving us one step closer to receiving preliminary accreditation status,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “I want to thank Dean Shelley Nuss and the many individuals who have played a role in this important process, and I look forward to the transformational impact the School of Medicine will have on our state and its people in the years ahead.”

The LCME, the 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. Accreditation by the LCME is crucial for a medical school’s graduates to be eligible for the United States Medical Licensing Examination and residency programs.

“Completing this site visit from the LCME is a monumental milestone for the School of Medicine,” said Founding Dean Shelley Nuss. “I am thankful to our administration, faculty and staff for their support and tireless work to make this a successful visit. I am proud of their dedication and commitment to the School of Medicine and our future medical students.”

The LCME granted the School of Medicine candidate status in February. The School of Medicine expects to be notified by the LCME of its decision on preliminary accreditation status in February 2026. If granted, the School of Medicine may begin recruiting its inaugural class of medical students.

Construction on the new $100 million, 93,000-square-foot medical education and research building began in May and is fully underway. The new state-of-the-art facility is located on the UGA Health Sciences Campus and will serve as the primary educational building. Included in the design are large, active-learning classroom spaces; anatomy lab; simulation center; clinical skills center; robust offerings of individual and group study options; student lounge and well-being spaces; and nearly one-third of the building dedicated to biomedical research. Construction is set to be completed December 2026.