The Liaison Committee on Medical Education granted the Champaign-based University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Carle Illinois College of Medicine preliminary accreditation Oct. 13, allowing the college to begin recruiting students to its inaugural fall 2018 class, according to The News-Gazette.
University officials said the medical school won't receive provisional accreditation until its first class of students reaches their second year of medical school, and won't receive full accreditation until the inaugural class of students are in their final year.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine Dean King Li, MD, told The News-Gazette the initial accreditation represents a large milestone for the medical school.
"This is probably the most important hurdle," Dr. Li said. "It is a very rigorous process. Being given preliminary accreditation essentially is the stamp of approval that our infrastructure and our curriculum measures up to the most rigorous standards of medical education."
Applications for the inaugural class of students at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine opened Oct. 13. However, the college must still be approved by The Higher Learning Commission before it can begin admitting students. Representatives from the regional accrediting body will reportedly visit the university "soon," according to the report.
Officials also revealed each of the inaugural 32-member class of students will receive full four-year scholarships to attend the medical school at no cost, Dr. Li told The News-Gazette. University officials have already raised funds for 15 of the 32 expected students.
The scholarships will serve as a major recruiting tool, since the university will be starting much later in the admissions cycle than most medical schools. Most U.S. medical schools began recruiting students for their fall 2018 class in June.
Officials said the school will most likely not offer full scholarships to students in subsequent years, but will "continue a robust financial aid program, designating 30 percent of its tuition income for full or partial scholarships," the report states.