Commonly used acronyms
Here is a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations used throughout the university, our college and the health care
industry. When communicating to an external audience, avoid abbreviations except in situations of common usage.
The acronym “CHM” is intended for internal use only. For communication with external audiences, in the first reference use
“Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.” Any subsequent references may use shortened forms such as “MSU
College of Human Medicine” or “the college” (lowercase “c”) or medical school. Avoid using “MSU CHM” or “College of Human
Medicine at Michigan State University.” Questions regarding branding or style guides can be directed to Geri Kelley, director of
communications, and Amy Sawade, communications manager.
A&I – Alterations & Improvements – source of university funds for use on campus buildings
AA – Academic Affairs – college unit
AAMC – Association of American Medical Colleges
AAP – American Academy of Pediatrics
ABIM – American Board of Internal Medicine – certifies internists
ABP – American Board of Pediatrics – certifies pediatricians
ACGME – Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
ACP – American College of Physicians (Internal Medicine/Doctors for Adults)
AFMC – The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (Canadian AAMC counterpart)
AHEC – Area Health Education Corporation
AHME – Association for Hospital Medical Education
AIG – Anesthesiology Interest Group – student organization
AMA – American Medical Association
AMCAS – American Medical College Application Services – part of AAMC
AMEE – Association for Medical Education in Europe
AMSA – American Medical Student Association – student organization
AMWA – American Medical Women’s Association – student organization
ANTR – Human Anatomy
AOA – Alpha Omega Alpha – medical honor society
APP&R – Academic Program Planning & Review – a budget/funding thing
APR – Academic Program Review – university level review of academic programs/units
Page 1
Updated 09/2014
ASME – Association for the Study of Medical Education
AY – Academic Year (vs. AN or annual year)
B-CLR – Blended Curricular Learning Resources
BHS – Bioethics, Humanities and Society – undergraduate specialization offered by CEHLS
BI – Block I – first year of CHM medical school
BII – Block II – second year of CHM medical school
BIII – Block III – years 3 and 4 (also referred to as clinical or clerkship years) of CHM medical school
BMB: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology – department
BSDL – Basic Science Distance Learning – CHM & COM group to review delivery of year one courses for both schools across 3
campuses (EL, GR, Detroit)
CA – Community Administrator – one in each clerkship campus
CAC – College Advisory Council – college
CAD – Community Assistant/Associate Dean – one in each clerkship campus
CBSE – Comprehensive Basic Science Exam – an NBME subject exam
CBT – computer based testing
CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDG – Curriculum Development Group – PBL thing
CDP – Career Development Program – college
CDIM – Clerkship Directors of Internal Medicine
CEHLS – Centers for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences – college unit
CEPH – Council on Education for Public Health – MPH accrediting body
CLIFMS – Course Load Instruction Funding and Modeling System – university
CMA – Christian Medical Association – student organization
CME – Continuing Medical Education
CNS – MSU College of Natural Science
COD – Council of Deans – of the AAMC medical schools
CODE – Council on Diversity Education – college
COM – MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine
CPE – Clinical Performance Evaluation – evaluation form for Block III clerkships
Page 2
Updated 09/2014
CS – Clinical Skills – Blocks I and II curriculum
CSTA – Clinical Skills Teaching Area
CTSI – Clinical and Translational Science Institute
CC or Curr Comm – Curriculum Committee – college
CurrMIT – Curriculum Management and Information Tool – AAMC
CWA – College-wide Assessment – college unit
DAG – Deans’ Assistants Group – assistants to deans and deanlets of AAMC Medical Schools
DCA – Department Clerkship Administrator – lead support staff for required clerkships
DDC – Deans, Directors, Chairs – university
DiffInE – Differential Diagnosis/Interview/Exam
DIG – Dermatology Interest Group – student organization
DIO – Designated Institution Official – ACGME
DSAC – Dean’s Student Advisory Committee – college
DSG – Designated Study Group
DX – Diagnosis
EAP – Employee Assistance Program
EBM – Evidence-Based Medicine
EBS – Enterprise Business Systems (EBSP – EBS Project)
Echt – not an acronym, but the name of the CHM computer center in the Radiology building basement
ECP – Executive Chief Proctor – to the NBME
EM – Emergency Medicine
EMIG – Emergency Medicine Interest Group – student organization
EPI – Epidemiology & Biostatistics – department
ERAS – Electronic Residency Application Service – housed in the AAMC
ESLP – Education Scholars and Leadership Program – run by CHM FAD
FOD – Faculty and Organizational Development – university
FAD – Faculty Affairs and Development – college
FAMS – Families in Medical School – student organization
Page 3
Updated 09/2014
FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FM/FMP – Family Medicine
FMIG – Family Medicine Interest Group – student organization
FOIA – Freedom of Information Act
FRIB – Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
FSMB – Federation of State Medical Boards – administers USMLE Step 3 exam
FY – Fiscal year, as in FY 13
GAAD – Graduate Assistant/Associate Deans Committee – university
GAP – Gateway Assessment Program
GHHS – Gold Humanism Honor Society
GOF – Graduate Office Fellowship – university
GME – Graduate Medical Education – residency
GMEC – Graduate Medical Education Committee
GMEI – Graduate Medical Education, Inc. – a partnership between Ingham Regional Medical Center, MSU CHM, MSU COM, and
Sparrow Health System
GQ – Graduate Questionnaire – conducted by the AAMC
GRMEP – Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners (formerly GRMERC)
GSC – Graduate Studies Committee – college
HealthTeam – the faculty practice group
HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
HIT – Health Information Technology – unit that provides IT support for MSU health colleges and HealthTeam
HMI – Harvard Medical International
HOP – Heads of Programs – college executive staff
HRSA – Health Resources and Services Administration
HSRC – Health Services Related Component (of physician compensation)
ICC – Integrative Clinical Correlations – preclinical curriculum
IHP – International Health Project – student organization
IMIG – Internal Medicine Interest Group – student organization
IPE – Interprofessional Education
Page 4
Updated 09/2014
IPPR – Introduction to the Patient-Physician Relationship – preclinical curriculum
IRB – Institutional Review Board – a research thing
JC – Journal Club – generally a residency program thing
JIT – Just-in-Time
LAC – Learning & Assessment Center – simulation center
LCME – Liaison Committee on Medical Education – accrediting body for US and Canadian allopathic medical schools
LGBT – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans Gender Allies in Medicine – student organization
LMMSA – Latino Midwest Medical Student Association – student organization
LMU – Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved – CHM certificate program
LOA – Leave of absence
LOR – Letter of recommendation
LPCE – Longitudinal Patient Clinical Experience – preclinical curriculum
LSSR – Longitudinal Statistical Summary Report – generate by the AAMC
MCAT – Medical College Admission Test
MED – Medicine – department
MHA – Michigan Health & Hospital Association
MHPRC – Michigan Health Professional Recovery Corporation
MMI – Multiple Mini Interview
MMSA – Military Medical Student Association – student organization
MOU – Memo of Understanding
MPH – Masters in Public Health
MPHI – Michigan Public Health Institute
MSFC – Medical Students For Choice – student organization
MSL – Medical School Liaison – to the NBME
MSPE – Medical Student Performance Evaluation (formerly called Dean’s Letter) – LOR for student’s residency applications
MSTP – Medical Scientist Training Program – also known as MD/PhD program
MTE – Maintaining Technological Effectiveness – category of TLE funds
MX – management
Page 5
Updated 09/2014
NAS – Next Accreditation System – ACGME
NBME – National Board of Medical Examiners – administers USMLE & subject exams
NEURO – Neurology
NIH – National Institutes of Health
NRMP – National Residency Match Program
OGR or OB/GYN – Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology – department
OIG – Ophthalmology Interest Group – student organization
OMERAD – Office of Medical Education Research & Development – college unit
OPC – Office of Preclinical Curriculum – college unit
OSAS – Office of Student Affairs & Services – college unit
OSCE – Objectively/Observed Structured Clinical Exam
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSIG – Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group – student organization
PA – Physician Assistant
PBA – Problem Based Assessment – each clerkship has one
PBL – Problem Based Learning – Block II curriculum
PDIG – Physical Diagnosis Interest Group – student organization
PEDS/PHD – Pediatrics & Human Development – department
PF-Sims – Practice and Feedback Simulations
PHARM/TOX – Pharmacology & Toxicology – department
PHR – Physicians for Human Rights – student organization
PME – Project Medical Education
PPH – Program in Public Health – college unit
PSC – Professional Services Contract
PSC/PSYCH – Psychiatry – department
PSL – Physiology – department
RAD – Radiology
RAT – Residents as Teachers – training for residents to teach medical students
Page 6
Updated 09/2014
RBI – Revenue Based Initiative
R-CHP – Rural Community Health Program
RCR – Responsible Conduct of Research
RIG – Radiology Interest Group – student organization
SADAA – Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
SADCA – Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
SAR – Student Academic Review – a subcommittee of the SPC
SCCD – Social Context of Clinical Decisions – Block II curriculum
SHIELD – Securing Health Information and Eliminating Loss of Data
SIAC – Student Insurance Advisory Committee – university
SIG – Surgery Interest Group – student organization
SIGN – Student Interest Group in Neurology – student organization
SIP – Strategic Investment Project – category of TLE funds
SIPS – Students Interested in Pediatrics Sub-Specialty – student organization
SLC – Student Learning Center – basement of Radiology building
SMEEF – Student Medical Education Enrichment Fund – distributed by DSAC
SMS – Section on Medical Schools – housed in AMA
SNMA – Student National Medical Association – student organization
SOAR – Simulation Organization and Assessment Resources – college
SPB – Sparrow Professional Building
SPC – Student Performance Committee – college
SRIG – Student Research Interest Group – student organization
SUR – Surgery – department
SWABBS – Students Who Are Between Blocks
TIP – The Integrated Program – Family Medicine 4 + 3 medical school/residency program
TLE – Teaching and Learning Environment – technology funding from the university
TRW – Travel Reimbursement Worksheet
TSMM – Translational Science and Molecular Medicine – department
Page 7
Updated 09/2014
UCC – University Committee on Curriculum
UCC – University Curriculum and Catalog – office that houses the University Committee on Curriculum
UCRIHS – University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects
UGC – University Graduate Council
UME/UGME – Undergraduate Medical Education – years 1-4 of medical school
USMLE – United States Medical Licensing Examination – Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, Step 2 Clinical Skills, Step 3; under the
umbrella of the NBME
VA – Veterans Administration
VAI – Van Andel Institute
VSAS – Visiting Student Application System – run by AAMC
VUDAT – Virtual University Design and Technology
WHIG – Women’s Health Interest Group – student organization
Page 8
Updated 09/2014