Accrediting body puts Baylor Med on probation

A national accrediting body has placed Baylor College of Medicine on probation for 14 different "areas of concern," a blow to its reputation as one of the nation's elite medical schools.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education Friday formally notified Baylor of the downgrade, which was based on deficiencies involving administrative processes and procedures, not instruction. The Houston school joined four other North American colleges on probation with the body, which accredits 158 institutions in the U.S. and Canada.

"I am disappointed with the findings because i know the don't represent Baylor or the quality education provided by our institution," Baylor President Dr. Paul Klotman wrote the campus community Wednesday, Klotman subsequently held four town hall meetings on campus about the matter.

Klotman emphasized that Baylor is still fully accredited by the committee. He said the biggest impact is likely to be other schools telling top students not to apply to Baylor because it's on probation. He added that he's confident that Baylor's reputation is strong enough to withstand such efforts.

More at http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Accrediting-body-places-Baylor-on-probation-5585791.php . (subscription required).

[font color=green]The other schools placed on probation are Chicago Medical School at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, the University of Louisville School of Medicine, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Puerto Rico, and the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine in Canada.[/font]