The LCME Self-Study Subcommittees are a critical component of our School’s accreditation initiative. Participation on a subcommittee requires a large time commitment and a willingness to learn about and assess every facet of the School. We are so proud of the work that the subcommittees have done already and very much appreciate their steadfast commitment to the process.
Each month, we will spotlight one of the many subcommittee members who are contributing to the success of this process. This month’s spotlight is Rachel Pinotti.
Rachel Pinotti, MLIS, AHIP
Assistant Library Director, Education and Resources
LCME Role: Faculty Subcommittee Member
What are some of the ways you think the LCME process impacts your day to day work?
This is my first experience participating in the LCME accreditation process and I was interested to see what information the LCME asks on the Data Collection Instrument (DCI) pertaining to library services. The DCI states, “A medical school provides ready access to well-maintained library resources sufficient in breadth of holdings and technology to support its educational and other missions. Library services are supervised by a professional staff that is familiar with regional and national information resources and data systems and is responsive to the needs of the medical students, faculty members, and others associated with the institution.” This is the work my colleagues and I are doing day in and day out in the library—ensuring access to a high quality collection curated to meet the needs of the ISMMS community and offering services to ensure our users are able to make meaningful use of these resources. While I always find my work gratifying, it adds an extra sense of purpose to know that the LCME sees our work as an essential part of a high quality medical education.
I was also excited to learn that ISMMS students scored Levy Library slightly higher than the national average for library services on the Graduation Questionnaire (GQ). We always try to go above and beyond for our students, so it’s nice to know that they notice and appreciate what we do.
What do you think you can contribute to the LCME process?
Time, attention, and thoughtfulness.
What is your favorite vacation destination?
Italy! I fell in love with Italy during a semester abroad in college and the love affair has continued ever since. Perhaps not coincidentally, I married a first generation Italian-American and we try to go back as often as possible to visit our family and friends there. Our son just turned one and we took him for the first time this summer, which was really special. If you’ve never been, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Everyone needs a little dolce vita in their life.