CoM prepared for mock accreditation

The college will be hosting a mock accreditation visit between February 5-8

By Marg Sheridan

For months, the College of Medicine has been steadily working on preparation for the Accreditation Mock Site Visit – and now it’s time to hit ‘go.’

“Our mock accreditation is essentially a dress-rehearsal for the actual visit,” explained Dr. Athena McConnell, a pediatric infectious diseases physician who is also the CoM’s assistant dean quality. “So we are using the schedule that the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) have provided for an actual accreditation visit and are populating it the same way we would for an actual accreditation visit.”

The full accreditation visit will be taking place between October 29 through November 2, but the mock visit gives the college the ability to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and that everything is ready in advance of the full visit.

The mock visit runs the same way the October one will – it includes visits to other instructional sites, and when an in-person visit isn’t required the sites will be looped in via videoconferencing.

“It really depends on where the faculty and admin people are, and what questions are being asked,” McConnell continued. “If it’s questions about the infrastructure in Prince Albert, we obviously have to get the Prince Albert member in on that conversation.”

But while the mock takes place from February 5-8, classes and most college operations will not be affected.

“We have students who have volunteered for the various events, there is a student-led tour of the facilities on Monday as well as in Regina and Prince Albert on Tuesday,” explained McConnell. “But the accreditors will not be poking their heads into the classrooms when there’s a session. And if students are doing clinical skills, the accreditors aren’t going to be pulling them aside - so it won’t affect the students academically.”

The mock visit will play an important role in helping to guide the CoM in the planning and success with both the full visit this fall, and will help us in refining and implementing our work in medical education.