The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) has been granted full accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Although HLC accreditation is not required of WVSOM, securing the institutional accreditation has been part of the school’s strategic plan.
“We are thrilled to receive HLC accreditation. WVSOM has been fully accredited for its D.O. program since 1978 and voluntarily sought regional institutional accreditation with HLC since it is a gold standard in higher education. Having HLC accreditation is another measure of institutional quality,” said Jim Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s vice president for administration and external relations.
WVSOM remains fully accredited by the appropriate body of the American Osteopathic Association, currently their Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). The HLC accreditation announcement comes five years after WVSOM’s Board of Governors initially decided that the school should seek regional institutional accreditation. The review process involved a rigorous self-assessment, a site visit by a team of administrators and educators and a review of the site visit report by the HLC.
“WVSOM is meeting the highest standards of institutional quality, fulfilling its mission now and able to do so for the foreseeable future. The HLC accreditation provides that extra stamp of approval,” he said.
The Higher Learning Commission is the nation’s largest association overseeing higher education accreditation and accredits more than 1,000 colleges and universities in 19 states, including West Virginia.
