You know accreditation is coming; you know it is a valuable process. Or you and your administration are considering applying for accreditation but you are not sure what the impact on your workload, finances, and other resources will be. It all looks so daunting and you are already so busy! Where to start and what to do first? Often the hardest part of any project is organizing a plan to get started. The action plan that follows breaks the activities into phases and identifies the activity and associated resource, such as the location on the CoAEMSP webpage that will provide the necessary information. What could be simpler?

Phase I: Self-Assessment

3. Honestly answer the questions and evaluate: Met or Not Met

4. Pay attention to the items in the Evidence column

5. Make a list of anything that is not clear to you (for example: Sponsorship, Terminal Competencies)

6. Give your Faculty members, the Medical Director, and Administration a copy of the CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines and highlight the areas of responsibility

7. Meet with your Faculty and Medical Director to discuss any areas which seem unclear

8. If you are in an academic setting, meet with the other Program chairs of other accredited programs and discuss how they prepared for accreditation

9.Contact the CoAEMSP Executive Office for answers to specific questions 

10. Make a list of your most burning questions and then prioritize them

11. Make a list of your Program's current strengths and weaknesses/ limitations (consider a SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats)

12. Review the Faculty Resources Assessment form and answer the questions honestly

13. Make a wish list: personnel, equipment, other resources

Additional checklists are available for Document Review, Time Management, and Preparing for the Site Visit.