ACOM Receives Top Accreditation Status
DOTHAN, Ala. – The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) is pleased to announce it has been awarded the highest accreditation status, Accreditation with Exceptional Outcome, by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).
The 10-year re-accreditation for ACOM is the longest accreditation cycle COCA grants. COCA is the accrediting agency for colleges of osteopathic medicine, reporting to the U.S. Department of Education.
To earn re-accreditation, ACOM successfully underwent a rigorous evaluation to determine its compliance with COCA’s 12 accreditation standards and 80 elements, related to the school’s mission, resources, and curriculum.
“I want to thank our faculty and staff for their hard work and their contributions to ACOM’s strategic planning and accreditation process, especially for their focus on the well-being and success of our students,” said James C. Jones, DO, FACEP, dean of ACOM. “This accreditation status is a direct reflection of the critically important work being done at ACOM on a day-to-day basis.”
Dr. Jones said the medical school received the accreditation decision this week following COCA’s meeting on April 11-12. During that meeting, the Commission reviewed the comprehensive report ACOM submitted in September 2023, as well as the report of ACOM’s seven-year comprehensive site visit that was conducted in December 2023. ACOM previously received a seven-year accreditation.
“Our next comprehensive site visit will be held in the academic year 2033-2034,” said Carmen Lewis, PhD, MBA, vice president of Institutional Effectiveness at ACOM, who leads the accreditation readiness processes “We will continue our efforts to ensure high academic standards and continuous quality improvement through our strategic planning process and supplemental reports to COCA.”
Recently, three second-year ACOM students, Cassie Abrams, Miranda Byarly, and Maggie Russell were invited to speak at TROY University.
Southeast Health and the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) are pleased to announce that Lauren Clemmons, DO, FACOFP, is now associate professor of Family Medicine and Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP).
Sarah Adkins (OMS III) has been selected by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents (COSGP) as the 2024 National Student Researcher of the Year.
Dr. Clemmons has been named associate dean of Clinical Resources, a position in which he has served on an interim basis since October. In this role, Dr. Clemmons oversees third- and fourth-year clinical training through ACOM’s expansive network of hospitals, clinics and preceptors. He will also continue as department chair of Primary Care in the division of Clinical Sciences.
Ms. White has been named Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) officer. She has served as interim DEI officer since March. Ms. White will continue to provide ongoing oversight of ACOM’s DEI initiatives supporting students, faculty and staff. Ms. White will also continue to serve in her current role as ACOM Contracts and Policy Manager. Her role in DEI supports ACOM’s core values and commitment to a welcoming and supportive campus environment.
