Accreditation Status
The Thomas F. Frist College of Medicine at Belmont University has achieved preliminary accreditation, the initial level of accreditation available to a medical school in the United States by the Liaison Committee of Medical Education (LCME), the U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting body for allopathic medical schools. The FCoM is listed on the LCME directory website of accredited schools.
In October 2023, the LCME notified Belmont University and the Frist College of Medicine of the preliminary accreditation of the medical education program. The preliminary accreditation decision is the culmination of three years of planning and building a medical school infrastructure that aligns with the LCME standards for accreditation of medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree. The accreditation process involved FCoM faculty and staff, colleagues from the College of Nursing, College of Mathematics and Science, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Belmont University leadership, clinical affiliate partners, and community members. We are so grateful to those involved.
The next step in the College of Medicine’s LCME accreditation journey is provisional accreditation. The LCME provisional accreditation survey will be in the 2025-2026 academic year. For more information on the LCME accreditation process, click here.
Quick Accreditation Questions
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) is a nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in the U.S. and Canada. LCME accreditation is a voluntary, peer-reviewed quality assurance process that determines whether a medical education program meets established standards outlined in the Functions and Structure of a Medical School.
LCME accreditation is required in most states for licensing graduates and receiving federal financial aid. Only graduates of LCME-accredited schools are eligible for residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) purposes.
The Accreditation consists of four components:
- Data Collection Instrument (DCI)
- Faculty led Institutional Self Study
- Student led Independent Student Analysis (ISA)
- Site Visit by Faculty/Deans from other medical schools
A Message From the Dean
Dear Faculty, staff members and community,
With immense joy and gratitude, I announce that the Frist College of Medicine HAS ACHIEVED preliminary accreditation!!!
Our path, which began in the fall of 2020, has indeed been extraordinary, marked by unwavering faith, perseverance, and growth. Through it all, God’s promises such as stated in Jeremiah 33.3 (KJV), have held true: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” And the Lord has guided us in His good work that He has begun in us, as stated in Philippians 1:6 (AMP): "I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]."
So today, we stand before this significant milestone, and we humbly thank God for this accomplishment inspired by His love and grace. I thank each one of you. I thank you for your hard work and unwavering commitment to excellence. I thank you for your collective dedication and team spirit through the ups and downs of our journey. Each one of you has played a crucial role in bringing us to this point. Furthermore, I acknowledge the families of our team members who have made sacrifices along the way with unwavering support of our colleagues.
While preliminary accreditation is a significant milestone, we have more highpoints to reach, with ensuing challenges to meet. And we will have continued success. We continue in this good work together.
For now, let us celebrate and treasure this moment. Congratulations to all of you on this remarkable achievement.
Yours in Christ,
Anderson Spickard, III, MD, MS
Dean and Professor of Internal Medicine
The Path to LCME Provisional Accreditation
October 2020
- Belmont University launches a College of Medicine
January 2021
- Application Submitted to the LCME
November 2021
- DCI andSelf-Study Submitted to the LCME
March 2022
- The LCME granted the FCoM Candidate Status
- LCME Site Visit
- The LCME Grants the FCoM Preliminary Accreditation
- Provisional Accreditation Kick-Off
- Charter Class Begins
- Follow-up Report due to the LCME
- Continue work on Provisional DCI
- Finalize Provisional DCI
- Submit DCI to the LCME
- LCME Site Visit
LCME Accreditation Steering Committee
The Frist College of Medicine LCME Accreditation Steering Committee acts as an advisory group to the Dean's Executive Leadership Team on accreditation matters. The Steering Committee monitors the Self Study and Data Collection Instrument (DCI) writing process. The committee analyzes the findings of the self-study subcommittees and the Independent Student Analysis (ISA).
DCI Standard Subcommittees
DCI Standard Subcommittees are responsible for collecting data and completing the LCME Data Collection Instrument’s (DCI) standards and elements as assigned by the LCME Accreditation Steering Committee
LCME Self Study Subcommittees
Each LCME Self Study subcommittee prepares a report identifying the institutional strengths and opportunities for improvement related to the reviewed DCI standards.
Independent Student Analysis Committee
The Independent Student Analysis (ISA) allows students to evaluate the medical education program and provide objective commendation and critique. The Committee, comprised solely of students, will prepare a report using the results of the ISA student survey. Based on these results, the LCME Steering Committee will develop a series of recommendations for the FCoM Faculty and Executive Leadership TeamContact Us
Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine
1900 Belmont Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615.460.6191