Executive order seeks reforms to higher education accreditation

President Trump signed an executive order on April 23 that calls out the current higher education accreditation system – specifically referencing the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education – for failing to ensure quality education and instead promoting discriminatory practices under the guise of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). It orders the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and other federal agencies to investigate and take action against accreditors and educational institutions that impose DEI-related standards deemed unlawful and calls for student-focused accreditation principles that prioritize educational value, program outcomes, academic freedom and legal compliance. Additionally, it calls on the ED Secretary to implement reforms to increase competition among accreditors and oversight of the accreditation recognition process. AAOMS will be monitoring these efforts for potential impact on OMS residency training programs.