The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine at Xavier University of Louisiana has received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for U.S. programs granting medical doctorates. With this designation, the college — the country’s fifth medical school located at an HBCU — can begin recruiting students for its inaugural class of 2027.
“This is a historic moment for Xavier University of Louisiana, for New Orleans and for the future of medicine in this nation,” said Reynold Verret, president of Xavier University of Louisiana. “For a century, Xavier has demonstrated what is possible when academic excellence is joined with a profound commitment to human dignity and service. The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine is a bold extension of that legacy. We are not simply opening the doors of a new medical school; we are expanding who will have the opportunity to become a physician, strengthening the communities those physicians will serve and helping to shape the future of healthcare for generations to come. Preliminary accreditation brings us to a moment envisioned through years of work, partnership and resolve, and it affirms Xavier’s enduring belief that education can transform not only individual lives, but the health and well-being of our nation.”
The new medical school was first established in 2024 through a partnership between Xavier University and Ochsner Health, a leading academic health system and the highest-rated hospital in Louisiana, according to U.S. News & World Report. The college earned candidate status in October 2025 and hosted an LCME survey visit in June 2026. Now that it has received preliminary accreditation, the college will open applications through the American Medical College Application Service in the coming weeks.
“Together, we have created a transformational college of medicine where future physician leaders will be prepared to pursue excellence with purpose, embrace innovation, and respond to the evolving needs of patients and our communities,” said Leonardo Seoane, president and founding dean of the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine. “This milestone builds on Xavier University of Louisiana’s incredible legacy of preparing leaders who serve and a history of academic and clinical excellence at Ochsner Health. By bringing together the strengths of two mission-driven institutions, we are creating opportunities for future physicians to make a lasting difference across Louisiana and beyond.”
Pete November, president and CEO of Ochsner Health, added, “Our partnership with Xavier University of Louisiana is grounded in a shared belief that education, opportunity, and service can transform lives and provide our communities stellar healthcare for generations to come. Today, we celebrate far more than the opening of a college of medicine. Together, we are investing in our communities to drive economic development and create a model of excellence that translates world-class medical education into better health outcomes, greater opportunity, and a lasting legacy of impact for the people and communities we serve.”
