SLU med school gets 2 years probation

ST. LOUIS -- Saint Louis University's medical school is on probation after an accrediting agency found what it called multiple curriculum gaps and inadequate policies.

The school remains accredited but has two years to fix roughly 20 action items identified as noncompliant by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

In a letter last month to Saint Louis University's president, the accrediting group cited a "constellation of standards with which the school is out of compliance, which has compromised the quality of the medical-education program."

Medical school Dean Dr. Kevin Behrns said he will launch a remediation plan that addresses all of the issues cited by the Liaison Committee.

The committee goes through the accreditation process every eight years.

Behrns said the review occurred this time in the middle of phasing in a new curriculum, "which probably created some gaps."

The university notified students, employees and alumni of the probationary status and remediation plan Tuesday.

"The reason it's a big deal is that we didn't exercise the discipline we needed to exercise to make sure that we remain fully accredited," Behrns said. "When you're talking about medicine and taking care of patients, it's all about the details."

The continued accreditation means current and prospective students still will be eligible to take the national board exams and apply for residency positions.

Behrns said he hopes between some advisory committees and schoolwide input, the medical school can be taken off probation within a year.