Every day, across our classrooms, clinical learning environments, campuses, and communities, we share a responsibility: to provide our students with an exceptional medical education and prepare them to become the physicians our communities need.

As UMass Chan prepares for its next LCME accreditation review and onsite survey visit in April 2028, we have an important opportunity to step back and take an honest look at ourselves. What are we doing well? Where are our students thriving? Where can we improve? And when we identify opportunities, are we willing to act?

This work requires Integrity, Accountability, and Humility: integrity to recognize both our strengths and challenges, accountability to act when change is needed, and humility to listen, learn, and welcome different perspectives.

Through our institutional self-study, evidence gathering, and Independent Student Analysis, we will examine the MD program against LCME standards and identify ways to strengthen medical education at UMass Chan. But the work does not end with identifying opportunities. Our commitment includes acting on what we learn.

This work belongs to our entire medical education community. Students, faculty, staff, educational leaders, administrators, and colleagues across our campuses will each have a role. Some will provide evidence or serve on self-study teams. Students will contribute an especially important perspective through the Independent Student Analysis. Others will share their knowledge and experiences as we examine different aspects of the program.

Together, we can make accreditation more than a review of where we are. We can make it an opportunity to shape where we go next.