Accreditation
Institutional Accreditation
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) is a not-for-profit corporation registered with the Arkansas Secretary of State and approved by the Internal Revenue Service as an institution of higher learning in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine is the first program developed through ACHE.
Arkansas Division of Higher Education
ACHE has received approval from the Institutional Certification Advisory Committee (ICAC) and has received certification by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB) to offer the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board certification does not constitute an endorsement of any institution or program. Such certification merely indicates that certain criteria have been met as required under the rules and regulations implementing institutional and program certification as defined in A.C.A. §6-61-301.
The Higher Learning Commission
The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
COMMISSION ON OSTEOPATHIC COLLEGE ACCREDITATION
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) provides accrediting standards that require systematic review of the osteopathic medical education program. ARCOM is Accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). The next COCA accreditation visit is in academic year 2024-2025.
Information relative to accreditation may be accessed at: Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation
142 East Ontario Street Chicago, IL 60611-2864 Telephone 888.626.9262 e-mail: predoc@osteopathic.org.
The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree program has received accreditation by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association. Graduates of this program at the Arkansas Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine are eligible to take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX-USA) series of examinations leading to licensure. Specific state requirements may be found at: osteopathic.org/life-career/medical-licensure/state-license.
Complaints Regarding Non-Compliance with the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Accreditation Standards
ARCOM is committed to meeting the standards for Accreditation of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine: as described by the COCA. A copy of the standards is available upon request from the ARCOM Office of the Dean or at the AOA COCA’s website at: www.aoacoca.org.
Students in the osteopathic medicine program who believe that ARCOM may not be in compliance with accreditation standards have the right to file a complaint through the following procedure:
A written, dated, and confidential complaint must be filed with the ACHE Office of Student Affairs (OSA). The Assistant/Associate Dean of Student Affairs will consult with the ARCOM Dean and form an ad hoc committee of faculty and students to investigate the complaint.
The results of the investigation will include a determination of standard compliance or non-compliance, and recommended corrective actions. The results will be communicated in writing to the ARCOM Dean, Office of Student Affairs (OSA), Office of Academic Affairs (OAA), and the student complainant. If corrective action is indicated, the ARCOM Dean will respond with a description/plan for such action within 30 days of receipt of the ad hoc committee results.
At any time, the student may file a complaint directly to the COCA without fear of retaliation from the institution or the individuals named in the complaint.
Records of all proceedings regarding complaints will be maintained by the ACHE OSA.