The University of Georgia School of Medicine has reached a major milestone in its development, receiving preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the national accrediting body for medical education programs. This designation allows UGA to begin recruiting and admitting its inaugural class of medical students, with plans to start instruction in Fall 2026.

Preliminary accreditation is a critical early step in the multi-stage accreditation process required for new medical schools. The LCME, sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association, evaluates programs to ensure they meet national standards for curriculum, faculty, facilities, and student support. With this approval, UGA can now move forward with accepting applications and assembling its first class of future physicians.

The new medical school is part of a larger investment in healthcare education, including a $100 million Medical Education and Research Building on UGA’s Health Sciences campus in Athens. University leaders say the school is designed to help address Georgia’s ongoing physician shortage, particularly in rural and underserved communities, while strengthening healthcare access statewide.

Officials say the launch of the School of Medicine represents a historic expansion for UGA and could have long-term impacts on medical training, research, and the state’s healthcare workforce.