Geisel was last accredited in 2005, but LCME has since introduced new requirements while increasing the stringency of preexisting ones.
"The accreditation standards are a bit of a moving target," Swenson said. "Consequently, the last two and half years we've had a fairly intensive review based on the new standards and the ones where there have been changes in interpretation."
During reaccreditation, the LCME typically recommends improvements in seven or eight areas. Schools are mandated to submit periodic updates on their remediation efforts.
During the last accreditation cycle, the LCME found 10 areas at Geisel that needed attention. Geisel has received a preliminary report of the LCME's findings, and the formal report will be available in three weeks.
"We've targeted things that we identified through the self study as being problematic and had a major push to remediate those," Swenson said. "There are some areas that were challenging for the medical school to comply with, but we'll see the results of our efforts in the new report."
The LCME will review the Student Self Study Report and the Institutional Self Study report, written by students and administrators, respectively.
"The reports find what impacts medical education, ranging from curriculum to facilities to mentoring," Geisel student body president and co-author of the student report Rebecca Scully '05 Med'13 said. "It looks at all of the aspects of what it means to be a medical student to understand the guidelines set down by the LCME."
The LCME stressed the importance of "active learning activities" as part of medical education, which is highlighted in its new and modified list of standards for accreditation.
Emphasis is placed on methods of instruction and assessments that provide medical students with opportunities to develop lifelong learning skills.
In order to meet these standards, Geisel is undergoing a major curriculum redesign, which will push for a more interactive and self-guided programs, particularly for first and second-year medical students, Scully said.
"Medical education is something that's constantly evolving," she said. "There will be more problem-based learning for students, as well as an increase in technology."
The hospital is revising its training programs, which will eventually feature increased individual student performance feedback, Swenson said.
Geisel has developed new institutional objectives and reviewed each session of every course offered. This data will be entered into a computer system to check that teaching complies with LCME regulations.
The 2020 Strategic Plan for Excellence is a major component of the restructuring that Geisel has undergone in preparation for review by the LCME. Both the curriculum redesign and strategic plan aim to increase the likelihood that Geisel will be accredited, Swenson said.
The strategic plan focuses on increased research and infrastructure. Dartmouth has several plans for the construction of new buildings, including the North Campus Academic Center, which will stand at the site of the Gilman Life Sciences Building and Dana Biomedical Library, and the Williamson Translational Research Building in Lebanon.
The LCME's decision Geisel's reaccreditation will be released in June or September following further review.
