June 17, 2016
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University earned full accreditation for five years, the maximum for a new school.
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the nationally recognized accrediting body for medical education programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree in the United States and Canada, informed the school Friday of its decision.
"We are extremely pleased by the outcome of the LCME Full Accreditation review process," said Dr. Paul Katz, dean of the school. "Their analysis of our extensive reports was comprehensive, the multiday site visit in March was rigorous, and the quality of CMSRU's medical education program was clear. I'm grateful to the CMSRU team, including deans, faculty, staff and students, who continuously work to ensure that we are meeting -- and in many cases, exceeding -- the standards of quality set forth by the LCME."
The school, located in Camden, New Jersey, opened in 2012 and graduated its first class in May.
The LCME, through a five-step process, determines if a medical school program meets established standards in medical education.
"The fact that our Full Accreditation is for five years is remarkable and affirms that CMSRU is headed in the right direction toward developing quality physicians of tomorrow," Dr. Katz said.
Cooper Medical School expects to welcome its largest class, 88 students, that will increase enrollment to more than 300 in the summer. The school plans to gradually increase its enrollment until a maximum of 416 students is reached.
Full disclosure: PhillyVoice's Executive Director Lexie Norcross sits on the Cooper Foundation Board of Trustees. Her father, George E. Norcross III, is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Cooper Health System and the Cooper University Hospital.
