In July 2021, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, a regional organization that accredits universities and colleges, voted to grant Einstein full accreditation for all its doctoral, master’s degree, and certificate programs, which completes Einstein’s transformation to a fully independent academic entity.
Montefiore’s president and chief executive officer, Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D., together with Gordon Tomaselli, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Einstein and executive vice president and chief academic officer at Montefiore, announced the accreditation, noting that it will allow Einstein and Montefiore to “expand and enhance all of our joint efforts. Further, it will enhance Einstein’s already outstanding academic reputation, which has been a hallmark of the institution since it opened its doors more than six decades ago.”
As a federally recognized, distinct academic institution, the College of Medicine will now have greater access to student loans, eligibility for federal programs that are restricted to educational institutions, and the ability to operate using an “.edu” web address.
Drs. Ozuah and Tomaselli called the accreditation “a transformational moment and the culmination of a tremendous amount of work by many people over six years” and noted that “it is a clear endorsement of the quality of our entire academic enterprise and all who work here.”
A team of some 150 students, faculty members, and administrators were involved in the two-stage Middle States application process. It was led by Edward Burns, M.D., executive dean at Einstein, along with Penny Steiner-Grossman, Ed.D., associate professor of family and social medicine and former assistant dean of medical education at Einstein, and Ariel Fishman, Ph.D., senior director of institutional research, assessment, and reporting at Einstein.
In March 2021, seven peer evaluators from the Middle States Commission made a final Einstein site visit, which included meetings with students, faculty, and professional staff. The commission voted in July to grant Einstein full accreditation.
