A coordinated self-study/site survey in medical technology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy

Accreditation is a major issue in allied health education, because it is a time-consuming and expensive process. Program accreditation needs to be streamlined to avoid costly duplication. Joint coordination of the accreditation process is one approach that needs to be tested. This article is a summary of a coordinated accreditation for the departments of medical technology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy at the State University of New York at Buffalo. It focuses on the rationale for such an approach, the protocol established to avoid duplication, the procedures and methods followed in preparing and implementing a joint self-study/site survey, and the results of the experiment. Specific recommendations include common areas of effort among the programs and methods of saving time. Some general observations about the process are made, and it is concluded that a coordinated model is one viable alternative to individual program accreditation.