LCME complaints

[quickfeet]

Why does the LCME force people to identify themselves when filing complaints about their medical school not adhering to accreditation standards? Isn't this opening the individual up to retaliation by their own administration?

Complaints or third-party comments about an undergraduate medical education program accredited by the LCME must be submitted via e-mail to the LCME. A complaint or comment may come from any source and must be submitted via email. For a complaint to be considered, please attach a signed consent form to the email. No investigation can move forward without a signed consent form.

The LCME will only consider a complaint about a medical education program that indicates noncompliance with one or more accreditation standards. It will not consider an individual grievance relating to admission, dismissal, or faculty appointment or advancement.

- From: http://www.lcme.org/survey-connect-contact.htm

This is the consent form here:

Questions:

1. Do you think the LCME forces complainants to identify themselves in order to intimidate students from filing complaints?
2. If yes, why do you think they do this?
3. If no, what do you think the purpose of this consent form is?

Obviously the form is not about releasing grades/transcripts, since the LCME does not handle those types of individual complaints. This is more about accreditation standards, and one has to wonder why it would be necessary for people to make themselves known publicly. The person who is reporting the violation is not relevant - either a medical school is or is not adhering to accreditation standards.

---

Members don't see this ad.