Undergraduate medical education accreditation as a driver of lifelong learning

We describe the accreditation of medical education programs that lead to the Doctor of Medicine degree in the United States and Canada. We identify select accreditation standards that relate directly to the preparation of medical school graduates, as required for the supervised practice of medicine in residency training and for developing the skills of self-directed, independent learning. With standards that promote flexibility and encourage innovation, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education utilizes a continuous improvement model for the accreditation of undergraduate medical education with standards that promote flexibility and encourage innovation. The standards focus on curricula to meet learning objectives that address the current context of medical care. In undergraduate and graduate medical education, the relevance of the hospital as the predominant learning environment is challenged; in continuing medical education, traditional lectures are called into question for failing to change physician behavior and improve health care outcomes. To improve medical education from undergraduate through continuing medical education, all the relevant accrediting agencies must collaborate for success.