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.
Note: 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 Nienhouse, 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
AAN—Academic Advancement Network—university
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)
ADAA – Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
ADCE – Assistant Dean for Clinical Experiences
ADUME – Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education
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
APAMSA – Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association – student organization
APP&R – Academic Program Planning & Review – a budget/funding thing
APR – Academic Program Review – university level review of academic programs/units
AQS – Approach to the Question Sessions
ASK – Advanced Skills and Knowledge Sessions
ASME – Association for the Study of Medical Education
AY – Academic Year (vs. AN or annual year)
BHS – Bioethics, Humanities and Society – undergraduate specialization offered by BSJ
BSJ – Bioethics and Social Justice (Center for) – college unit
BMB – Biochemistry & Molecular Biology – department
C3 – Chief Complaints and Concerns – graduation end competencies
CAC – College Advisory Council – college
CAD – Community Assistant/Associate Dean – one in each clerkship campus
CAP – Career Advising Program – college
CBSE/CNSE – Comprehensive Basic Science Exam – an NBME subject exam
CBT – Computer-based Testing
CC or Curr Comm – Curriculum Committee – college
CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDG – Curriculum Design Group – subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee
CDIM – Clerkship Directors of Internal Medicine
CDRE – Chairs/Directors Research & Education meeting
CEPAER – Core Entrustable Professional Activity for Entering Residency
CEPH – Council on Education for Public Health – accrediting body for the Master of Public Health
CHM – College of Human Medicine (do not use acronym in external communications, see note above)
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 or NatSci
COD – Council of Deans – of the AAMC medical schools
CODE – Council on Diversity Education – college
COM – MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine
CON – MSU College of Nursing
CP – Conditional Pass Grade
CPE – Clinical Performance Evaluation – evaluation form for Block III clerkships
CS – Clinical Skills – Blocks I and II curriculum
CSTA – Clinical Skills Teaching Area
CTSI – Clinical and Translational Science Institute
CurrMIT – Curriculum Management and Information Tool – AAMC
CWA – College-wide Assessment – college unit
DAG – Deans’ Assistants Group – assistants to deans, including assistant/associate deans, 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
DPH – Division of Public Health
DSAC – Dean’s Student Advisory Committee – college
DSG – Designated Study Group
DSP – Director of Student Programs – communities
Dx – Diagnosis
EAO – Early Assurance Opportunity
EAP – Early Assurance Program
EAP – Employee Assistance Program
EBM – Evidence-Based Medicine
EBS – Enterprise Business Systems
ECE – Early Clinical Experience (first year of medical school)
Echt – not an acronym, but the name of the CHM computer center in the Clinical Center
ECP – Executive Chief Proctor – to the NBME
EHI – Elemental Health Institute
EM – Emergency Medicine - department
EMIG – Emergency Medicine Interest Group – student organization
EMR/EHR – Electronic Medical Records/Electronic Health Records
EPA – Entrustable Professional Activity – guidelines intended to help bridge the gap between patient care activities that new physicians should be able to perform on day one of residency training and those they feel ready to perform without direct supervision
EPI – Epidemiology & Biostatistics – department
ERAS – Electronic Residency Application Service – housed in the AAMC
ESLP – Education Scholars and Leadership Program – run by CHM FAD
ESSA – End of Semester Self-Assessment
ET – Grade Extension
EVPHS – Executive Vice President for Health Sciences; the human health college deans and the CEO of the faculty group practice (HCI) report to the EVPHS
FAD – Faculty Affairs and Development – college
FAMS – Families in Medical School – student organization
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 19
GAAD – Graduate Assistant/Associate Deans Committee – university
GAP – Gateway Assessment Program
GHHS – Gold Humanism Honor Society
GIL – Guided Independent Learning
GME – Graduate Medical Education – residency
GMEC – Graduate Medical Education Committee
GQ – Graduate Questionnaire – conducted by the AAMC
GRIP – Grand Rapids Innovation Park
GRRC – Grand Rapids Research Center
GSC – Graduate Studies Committee – college
HCI – Health Care, Inc, the faculty group practice
HCRO – Health Colleges Research Office
HealthTeam – former name of the faculty group practice, changed to MSU Health Care Inc when it became a 501c(3)
HFMG – Henry Ford Medical Group
HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
HMI – Harvard Medical International
HOPS – Heads of Programs – college executive staff
HRSA – Health Resources and Services Administration
HSRC – Health Services Related Component (of physician compensation); term is being phased out to be replaced by “Z component of the XYZ Physician Compensation Model”
ICC – Integrative Clinical Correlations – preclinical curriculum
IHP – Institute for Health Policy
IL – Information Literacy
ILP – Individualized Learning Plan
IMIG – Internal Medicine Interest Group – student organization
IPE – Interprofessional Education
IQ – Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering
IRAT – Individual Readiness Assurance Test – team-based learning
IRB – Institutional Review Board
IS – Intersessions
IS&C – Interpersonal Skills and Communication (an ACGME competency)
ISMART Learning Goals – Important to Student, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely
ISP – Individualized Study Period
JC – Journal Club – generally related to residency programs
JIT – JustInTimeMedicine – houses Shared Discovery Curriculum content and resources
LAC – Learning & Assessment Center – simulation center in Fee Hall
LANAMA – Latin American and Native American Medical Association – student organization
LCE – Late Clinical Experience (years 3 and 4 of medical school)
LCI – Learning Communities Institute
LCME – Liaison Committee on Medical Education – accrediting body for US and Canadian allopathic medical schools
LGBTQIA+ Medicine – Student organization representing lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender, queer, intersex & asexual communities
LMMSA – Latino Midwest Medical Student Association – student organization
LMU – Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved – college certificate program
LOA – Leave of absence
LOR – Letter of recommendation
LS – Learning Society
LSSR – Longitudinal Statistical Summary Report – generated by the AAMC
MCAT – Medical College Admission Test
MCE – Middle Clinical Experience (year 2 of medical school)
MED – Medicine – department (aka Internal Medicine)
MFB – Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
MGL – McLaren Greater Lansing
Mission SMART Initiative - Spartan MD Acceptance Realization Track, a similar program to the Early Assurance Program, but for higher education partners outside of Michigan
MHA – Michigan Health & Hospital Association
MHPRC – Michigan Health Professional Recovery Corporation
MK – Medical Knowledge – an ACGME competency
MMG – Microbiology and Molecular Genetics – department
MMI – Multiple Mini Interview
MMSA – Military Medical Student Association – student organization
MOU – Memo of Understanding
mPBL – Modified Problem-Based Learning
MPH – Master of Public Health
MPHI – Michigan Public Health Institute
MSF – Multi Source Feedback
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
MSRJ – Medical Student Research Journal – student organization
MSSA – Mid Semester Self-Assessment
MSTP – Medical Scientist Training Program – also known as MD/PhD program
MSU Health Care – the faculty group practice (MSU Health Care Incorporated (HCI) Clinical Services)
MTE – Maintaining Technological Effectiveness – category of Teaching and Learning Environment funding
NAS – Next Accreditation System – ACGME
NBME – National Board of Medical Examiners (administers USMLE Step 1 and 2 exams, subject exams, and customized assessment exams)
NEURO – Neurology & Ophthalmology – department
NIH – National Institutes of Health
NRMP – National Residency Match Program
OBGYN or OGR – Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology – department
OHS – Office of Health Sciences; the human health colleges and the faculty group practice (HCI) report to the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences
OIG – Ophthalmology Interest Group – student organization
OMERAD – Office of Medical Education Research & Development – 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
OSR – Organization of Student Representatives – AAMC group
P3 – Public Private Partnership
PA – Physician Assistant
PBA – Problem Based Assessment – each clerkship has one
PBL – Problem-Based Learning
PBL&I – Practice Based Learning and Improvement – an ACGME competency
PCG – Post Clinic Group – during Early Clinical Experience
PCRS – Physician Competency Reference Set – group of common learner expectation from the AAMC
PCSE – Progress Clinical Skills Exam – part of the Progress Suite in the Shared Discovery Curriculum
PDIG – Physical Diagnosis Interest Group – student organization
PECE – Prep for the Early Clinical Experience
PEDS/PHD – Pediatrics & Human Development – department
PF-Sims – Practice and Feedback Simulations
PHARM/TOX – Pharmacology & Toxicology – department
PHR – Physicians for Human Rights – student organization
PLP – Personal Learning Plan
PME – Project Medical Education
PPHI – Pediatric Public Health Initiative
PSC – Personal Services Contract
PSC/PSYCH – Psychiatry – department
PSL – Physiology – department
PsychSIGN – Psychiatry Student Interest Group Network – student organization
RAD – Radiology – department
RAT – Residents as Teachers – training for residents to teach medical students
RBI – Revenue Based Initiative
RCHP – Rural Community Health Program – college certificate program
RCPD – Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
RCR – Responsible Conduct of Research
RIG – Radiology Interest Group – student organization
RPP – Rural Physician Program – college certificate program
RSG – Rotational Small Groups – part of MCE
S1M – Step 1 Method – a program that helps students prepare to take the Step 1 exam
SADAA – Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
SADCA – Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
SAR – Student Academic Review – a subcommittee of the legacy curriculum
SBP – Systems Based Practice
SCAG – Student Curriculum Advisory Group
SCC – Student Competence Committee in the Shared Discovery Curriculum
SCRIPT – Service/Care of Patients/Rationality/Integration/Professionalism/Transformation – the 6 competency areas identified by CHM for medical student education
SDC – Shared Discovery Curriculum
SDM – Shared Decision Making
SH – Spectrum Health
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 Dean’s Student Advisory Committee
SMS – Section on Medical Schools – housed in AMA
SNMA – Student National Medical Association – student organization
SOAP – Supplemental Offer & Acceptance Program
SOAR – Simulation Organization and Assessment Resources – college
SP – Standardized Patients
SPB – Sparrow Professional Building
SPC – Student Performance Committee – college (legacy curriculum)
SRIG – Student Research Interest Group – student organization
SUR – Surgery – department
TACCT – Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training
TBL – Team Based Learning
TIP – The Integrated Program – Family Medicine 4 + 3 medical school/residency program
TLE – Teaching and Learning Environment – technology funding from the university
TN – Translational Neuroscience or TransNeuro – department (formerly Translational Science and Molecular Medicine)
TRAT – Team Readiness Assurance Test – part of Team Based Learning
UCC – University Committee on Curriculum
UCGS – University Committee on Graduate Studies (formerly UGC - University Graduate Council)
UCRIHS – University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects
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
VARI – Van Andel Research Institute
VBHC – Value-Based Health Care
VPRI – Vice President for Research and Innovation (formerly VPRGS - vice president for research and graduate studies)
VSLO – Visiting Student Learning Opportunities – run by AAMC
VUDAT – Virtual University Design and Technology
WACP – Women’s Advisory Committee to the Provost
WFA – Weekly Formative Assessment
WHIG – Women’s Health Interest Group – student organization
WSG – Weekly Scholar Group – the post clinic group in Middle Clinical Experience
XYZ – Physician compensation model implemented in 2021