Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine in New Orleans announces preliminary accreditation

The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine in New Orleans announced on Oct. 14 that it had been awarded preliminary accreditation, according to TheGrio. Word In Black reports the approval came from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for U.S. Doctor of Medicine programs. Essence also says the LCME granted preliminary accreditation on Oct. 14, 2026.

TheGrio and Word In Black both describe the school as the fifth HBCU medical school. TheGrio calls it the only HBCU college of medicine in the Gulf South. Word In Black calls it both the first and the only one in the region. TheGrio says the college was established through a partnership between Xavier University and Ochsner Health.

Word In Black gives a timeline. The college was formally established in 2024, earned candidate status in October 2025 and hosted an LCME survey visit in June 2026. Essence reports the school was first announced in 2022, with the Ochsner partnership coming a couple of years later. It says the school is scheduled to be in the Benson Tower building in downtown New Orleans' BioDistrict.

On the first class, Essence says it will have 50 students and is expected to start in August 2027. Word In Black also describes an inaugural class of 50 entering in summer 2027. TheGrio says the college plans to begin recruiting its first class of medical students for 2027.

On cost, TheGrio reports that tuition is set 19% below the average at private U.S. medical schools. Essence describes it as 19% lower than at other private U.S. medical schools. TheGrio says Xavier is considering ways to make the program more affordable, and it quotes a speaker saying scholarships are "the key." It describes an "Ochsner Scholars" partnership that covers four years of tuition for students who commit to primary care or psychiatry and work within Ochsner for five years.

TheGrio places the news in the context of a decline in Black medical students. It reports that the number of Black students entering U.S. medical schools fell 11.6% in 2024-2025, the third consecutive year of decline.

What we don't know yet

• Primary documents: We did not find the LCME or Xavier press release. The accreditation status is confirmed here only through TheGrio, Essence and Word In Black.
• Timing of the approval: TheGrio says the school announced the accreditation on Oct. 14, and Essence says the LCME granted it that day. Word In Black describes the approval as preliminary and gives the timing only in relative terms.
• Tuition comparison: TheGrio compares the 19% figure with the average at private U.S. medical schools, and Essence compares it with other private U.S. medical schools. We did not find a dollar amount.
• "First" and "only" claims: Outlets describe the school as the first and/or only HBCU medical school in the Gulf South. We did not find a primary source for either description.
• Start details: Essence gives an August 2027 start. Word In Black says summer 2027. TheGrio says only that recruiting is planned for 2027.
• Cost of attendance: TheGrio says Xavier is considering ways to ease costs. Beyond the Ochsner Scholars description, we have no detail on how many students would qualify or what other aid might be offered.