NEW! Coalition for Physician Accountability Seeks Feedback on Transition Recommendations
Last summer, the Coalition for Physician Accountability created the Undergraduate Medical Education to Graduate Medical Education Review Committee (UGRC) and charged them with the task of recommending solutions to identified challenges in the transition from undergraduate to graduate medical education. The UGRC released its report, which contains background materials and information about the Committee's formation, structure, and process, and includes the committee’s 42 preliminary recommendations. The call for feedback on these recommendations will be open from April 26 to May 26, 2021.
Read more in the ACGME Newsroom
Read the Report
Submit Feedback to the UGRC
AACOM, AAMC, ACGME, and ECFMG Release Transition to Residency Toolkit
The ACGME, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Association of American Medical Colleges, and Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates | Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research have created a toolkit to help learners transition from medical school to residency during the COVID-19 pandemic. The toolkit is designed to aid programs to prepare for incoming interns, as well as students entering residency after a challenging and potentially disrupted final year of medical school.
Access the toolkit from the Transition to Residency page on the ACGME website.
Email questions and comments to umegmetoolkit@acgme.org.
NEW! Coalition for Physician Accountability Updates Recommendations for 2021-2022 Medical Student Away Rotations
On April 14, the Coalition for Physician Accountability released an update to its January 25 recommendations on medical student away rotations in the 2021-2022 academic year. Those recommendations are an update to earlier guidance published on May 11, 2020.
The ACGME is a member of the Coalition, a cross-organizational group of national medical education organizations.
Read More on the Coalition's COVID-19 Response
Access the ACGME's COVID-19 Section
Visit the COVID-19 section of the ACGME website for access to a range of materials, including ACGME Guidance Statements, Frequently Asked Questions, institutional and well-being resources, and more.
Recognition of Non-Standard Training for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Physicians to Transition to the ACGME
Today, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®), American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS®), and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME®) announced a change in the process for recognition of non-standard training as it relates to the J-1 visa program administered by ECFMG. The term “non-standard training” refers to advanced clinical subspecialty disciplines or pathways for which there is no ACGME accreditation and/or ABMS Member Board certification available. Currently, all non-standard disciplines must be endorsed by an appropriate ABMS Member Board to be considered for J-1 sponsorship.
Under the new model, the ACGME will offer recognition of Sponsoring Institutions that offer non-standard training programs for exchange visitor physicians. This recognition has been designed to ensure that institutions are providing appropriate oversight of the non-standard training program(s) they offer. The ACGME will not recognize individual non-standard training programs. A working group has been formed to develop Recognition Requirements and, upon ACGME Board approval of those Requirements, a new Recognition Committee will be formed to review and monitor institutions seeking to achieve and maintain this recognition.
Read More in the ACGME Newsroom
Register for On-Demand Conference Content
Register now to watch Donald Berwick, MD, MPP, FRCP, KBE deliver the Marvin R. Dunn Keynote Address from the 2021 ACGME Annual Educational Conference.
In his talk, "Fairness, Equity, and the Moral Determinants of Health," Berwick challenged the graduate medical (GME) community to take on not just the job of clinical care, but to advocate for the “moral determinants of health,” a set of actions to address many of the underlying societal causes that lead to poor clinical health and clinical health outcomes. Berwick is the president emeritus and senior fellow for Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
On-demand content from the conference is still available in the virtual conference platform through June 1, 2021. For those who were unable to attend the live event, registration is still available. Those who attended with standard registration can upgrade for extended access: email registration@acgme.org.
Save the Date!
2022 Annual Educational Conference
February 24-27, 2022
Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida
Registration for the 2022 Annual Educational Conference will open in late fall 2021.
NEW! Register now for Developing Faculty Competencies in Assessment
Registration for the ACGME faculty development courses is now open! Led by ACGME senior staff members and selected expert instructors from around the country, Developing Faculty Competencies in Assessment will help participants build effective assessment programs for their residency or fellowship program. Offered virtually, sessions are highly interactive and use multiple learning approaches, including virtual simulations, to provide participants with approaches and tools for effective assessment.
Three virtual courses will be offered: two this fall, and one in January 2022. For details and to register visit the Developing Faculty Competencies in Assessment web page.
FILLING FAST! The Basics of Accreditation Workshops
Program Directors: Give new coordinators the knowledge they need for success! Register them for the ACGME Basics of Accreditation for New Program Coordinators Workshop.
Space is limited and spots are filling up fast! The Basics of Accreditation for New Program Coordinators workshops will be held virtually in May and June. Participation is available on a first come, first served basis. This two-part, specialty-specific workshop series helps new program coordinators understand ACGME accreditation practices and processes.
For details, visit the Basics of Accreditation page on the ACGME website.
DEADLINE WEDNESDAY! 2022 ACGME Awards Nominations Open
The ACGME is currently accepting nominations for the 2022 ACGME Awards and the nomination deadline has been extended to April 28, 2021.
The ACGME recognizes notable designated institutional officials (DIOs), program directors, residents and fellows, and institutional and program coordinators for their outstanding work and contributions to GME through its Awards Program.
Nomination materials are available in the Awards section of the ACGME website.
DEADLINE TODAY! CLER Visit Blackout Weeks Reporting Window Closes Today
The window for submitting Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) visit blackout weeks closes today. Sponsoring Institutions can submit up to four blackout weeks.
Remaining 2021 Dates for Entering Blackout Weeks (four weeks permitted per window):
- Until April 26 - Submit requests for July-September
- July 1-26 - Submit requests for October-December
CLER blackout weeks are intended to block scheduling of CLER visits for dates when institutional leaders and staff members are unavailable. The DIO and CEO of the site being visited must be available to remotely participate in an initial and exit meeting for the CLER visit.
NOTE: Sponsoring Institutions with a status of Initial Accreditation will not have a CLER visit until their status is changed to Continued Accreditation, and do not need to enter blackout requests.
In 2021, the CLER Program will also avoid scheduling visits on these dates:
- January 18 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
- May 31 (Memorial Day)
- June 21-25
- June 28-July 2
- July 5 (Independence Day observed)
- September 6 (Labor Day)
- November 25-26 (Thanksgiving)
- December 20-24/li>
To request blackout weeks, DIOs or institutional coordinators should log into ADS and click on "Blackout Weeks" under "CLER" in the right-hand navigation menu. The CLER Program will make every effort to comply with requests but cannot guarantee visits will not be scheduled during requested blackout dates.
CLER blackout week requests for July 2021 to September 2021 must be submitted by TODAY, April 26, 2021.
Email questions to CLER@acgme.org.
NEW! JGME Supplement: Milestones 2.0: Assessment, Implementation, and Clinical Competency Committees
This peer-reviewed JGME supplement provides high-quality, concise, up-to-date resources for the GME community. Nearly 60 authors have contributed, including fellows, educators, researchers, coordinators, the public, and other physician faculty members.
Articles contain a wide range of information including provide important context and perspectives, as well as how to start a Clinical Competency Committee (CCC), creating shared mental models among CCC members, using best practices on effective group function to optimize CCC meetings, distinguishing when to use and “don’t use” Milestones, and intentionally integrating Milestones into feedback and coaching.
NEW! JGME Call for Papers on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
JGME is seeking submissions related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in graduate medical education (GME). These manuscripts may be submitted in any JGME category. Topics can range from recruitment, selection, and onboarding to curriculum, teaching, learning, assessment, clinical learning environment, and faculty development.
Authors should submit work here: https://www.editorialmanager.com/jgme. Indicate in the cover letter the submission is in response to the diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice call. Papers on this topic will be reviewed preferentially. JGME recommends authors review these suggested resources for standards for publishing on health inequities prior to submitting manuscripts:
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200630.939347/full/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1475-6773.13558.
Details are available on the JGME website.
Introduction to Assessment Course Updated to Help Faculty Members New to Assessment
The Frameworks of Assessment in Training (Part 1) will define assessment and discuss common assessment methods. Choosing Your Assessment Tool(s) (Part 2) will look at the purpose of different types of assessment tools, assess the use of specific tools of an individual program, and help participants assemble a set of assessment tools suited to the individual program’s needs.
Log Into Learn at ACGME to View
NEW! Milestones 2.0 Review and Comment
New drafts of the Milestones for the specialties/subspecialties listed below are available for review and comment. The Milestones reporting data, along with other survey results and comments, informed the changes. The Work Groups also created Supplemental Guides to enhance understanding of the Milestones.
Deadline: Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Abdominal Radiology
Brain Injury Medicine
Dermatopathology
Medical Biochemical Genetics
Molecular Genetic Pathology
Musculoskeletal Radiology
Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine
NEW! Deadline: Sunday, May 9, 2021
Clinical Neurophysiology
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
Pediatric Radiology
Pediatric Urology
Surgical Critical Care
Vascular Neurology
Email questions to milestones@acgme.org.
Milestones Year-End Reporting Open Until June 25
The reporting window will be open until Friday, June 25, 2021. Milestones assessments can be submitted via the Accreditation Data System (ADS) at any point during this time. A list of specialties that have or soon will transition to Milestones 2.0 can be found on the Milestones section of the ACGME website.
Email technical questions to ADS@acgme.org.
Email content questions to milestones@acgme.org.
NEW! Calls for Resident Members
The following Review Committees are seeking their next resident member for terms beginning July 1, 2022. A resident member serves on the Review Committee to share the resident/fellow perspective, foster accountability to the needs of residents and fellows, enrich the work of the committee through outside expertise, and create transparency in the work of the Review Committee. Selected nominees will be presented to the ACGME Board of Directors for approval. The membership term is July 1, 2022-June 30, 2024.
ANESTHESIOLOGY
Details: The resident member must have a minimum of one year of residency education remaining after July 1, 2023. Additional information and nomination form available upon request.
Contact: Aimee Morales
Deadline: July 1, 2021
NEW! MEDICAL GENETICS AND GENOMICS
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited medical genetics and genomics program when appointed and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Details and nomination instructions available upon request.
Contact: Natochia Lewis
Deadline: July 31, 2021
RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Details: The resident member must have a minimum of one year of residency education remaining after July 1, 2023. Additional information and nomination form available upon request.
Contact: Aimee Morales
Deadline: July 1, 2021
TRANSITIONAL YEAR
Details: The resident member must have a minimum of one year of residency education remaining after July 1, 2023. Additional information and nomination form available upon request.
Contact: Aimee Morales
Deadline: July 1, 2021
NEW! Calls for Public Members
The following Review Committees are seeking their next public member for terms beginning July 1, 2022. A public member serves on the Review Committee to share the perspective of the public, foster accountability to the needs of the public, enrich the work of the Committee through outside expertise, and create transparency in the work of the Review Committee. Nominees must not be physicians. Other health care professionals are permitted, provided they are not employed by an organization with ACGME-accredited residency or fellowship programs. The term of appointment is six years.
ANESTHESIOLOGY
Details: Additional information and nomination form available upon request.
Contact: Aimee Morales
Deadline: July 1, 2021
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Details: Additional information and nomination form available upon request.
Contact: Bianca Andino
Deadline: August 2, 2021
NEW! PATHOLOGY
Details: Additional information and nomination form available upon request.
Contact: Natochia Lewis
Deadline: July 31, 2021
NEW! PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
Details: Additional information and nomination form available upon request..
Contact: Natochia Lewis
Deadline: July 31, 2021
TRANSITIONAL YEAR
Details: Additional information and nomination form available upon request.
Contact: Aimee Morales
Deadline: July 1, 2021
Transitional Year Review Committee Seeks New Member
The Committee seeks a new member for a position that will become available July 1, 2022. The candidate should be currently certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine or the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine. The new member's term will begin July 1, 2022 and end June 30, 2028.
Additional information and the nomination form are available upon request from Senior Accreditation Administrator Aimee Morales.
Nominations due by July 1, 2021.
Review and Recognition Committee Meeting and Agenda Closing Dates Posted
Meeting dates are listed on the overview page for each specialty's section on the ACGME website. Most specialties have already updated their information.
Meeting dates and associated agenda closing dates for the Osteopathic Principles Committee are posted on the Osteopathic Recognition page of the ACGME website.
This process will continue through July 1, 2021.
Review Committee News / Notices: Dermatology and Pathology
The Review Committees for Dermatology and Pathology have reconstituted the Dermatopathology Subcommittee, with the following mission, composition, and function and two issues identified to address immediately:
- Mission: To ensure equality of educational experiences for the dermatology- and pathology-educated and trained fellows.
- Composition: Dermatopathologist members of the Review Committees for Dermatology and Pathology
- Function: Meet two to three times a year (in conjunction with Review Committee meetings) to discuss issues specific to the fellowship and ensure consistent reviews of fellowship programs across both Review Committees.
- Issues to Address Immediately:
Contact the Executive Director of the applicable Review Committee directly with any questions or concerns: Eileen Anthony (dermatology); Kate Hatlak (pathology).
Review Committee News / Notices: Emergency Medicine
The grace period for faculty emergency medical services board certification for all emergency medical services programs has ended. The Review Committee previously allowed several alternate criteria to satisfy the faculty qualifications requirements for the program director and other required faculty members. Since the five-year transition period has passed, the Review Committee expects all required faculty members to hold emergency medical services board certification.
The Emergency Medical Services FAQs on the Program Requirements and FAQs and Applications page in the Emergency Medicine section of the ACGME website provide additional details.
The Review Committee will assess all programs this summer to determine individual program compliance with the faculty certification requirements.
WEBCAST TODAY! Review Committee News / Notices: Institutional Updates and Town Hall Webcast April 26
This webcast, scheduled for TODAY, April 26, 4:30-6:00 p.m. Central, will focus on the Institutional Review Committee’s 2020-2021 accreditation review of Sponsoring Institutions, its focused revision of ACGME Institutional Requirements, and the work of the CLER Program. It will highlight ACGME actions to assist and support Sponsoring Institutions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, key findings from the CLER National Reports of Findings, and updates on the CLER site visit designed to assess the impact of COVID-19.
The webcast includes an open forum during which participants can ask presenters questions.
Email questions to dio@acgme.org.
Review Committee News / Notices: Radiology
In light of requests for clarification regarding the I-131 therapy requirements and the expectations for I-131 therapies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Review Committee reminds the community of the following requirements:
IV.C.4.d).(2) Under AU preceptor supervision, residents must:
IV.C.4.d).(2).(a) participate in at least three cases involving the oral administration of less than or equal to 1.22 gigabecquerels (33 millicuries) of sodium iodide I-131 and at least three cases involving the oral administration of greater than 1.22 gigabecquerels (33 millicuries) of sodium iodide I-131. (Core)
When residents are involved in sodium iodide I-131 cases, it has always been the expectation that up to two residents can take credit for the same case/patient encounter.
The AU preceptor is responsible to ensure:
- The sodium iodide administration experience meets the above requirements for three cases with administered dose less than 33 millicuries and three cases with administered dose greater than 33 millicuries.
- Each case submitted to meet the requirement is shared by no more than two residents.
COVID-19 Modification:
Rules for residents’ I-131 therapy experience during COVID-19 are the same; they have not been modified, except in the rare event that a senior resident cannot fulfill the I-131 requirement during residency, due to the impact of COVID-19 on clinical volume or COVID-19 related restrictions on in-person workplace participation.
In this situation, the Review Committee will allow post-graduate documentation of supervised sodium iodide I-131 administration cases. No more than two individuals, including post graduate residents if necessary due to COVID 19, may claim credit for any single case.
NEW! Urology Case Log Update
Residents should now record robotic cases in the ACGME Case Log System by checking a Robotic checkbox on the individual CPT code rather than the case entry page. A checked Robotic box will give credit towards the robotic index category minimum. This change will improve the accuracy of the resident robotic experience documented in the Case Log System. As reminder, program directors and coordinators can view the urology Case Log System: Accreditation Data System (ADS) > Case Logs > Cases > Entry (View Only).
This change does not affect previously logged cases that documented the use of robotics by checking the box on the case entry page. These cases will still give credit towards the robotic index category minimum.
Email questions to Kathleen Quinn-Leering.
Career Opportunities
The ACGME currently has the following open positions:
- ACGME International President and Chief Executive Officer
- Accreditation Field Representative
- Accreditation Standards Administrator
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Research and Policy Lead
- Microsoft 365 Enterprise Administrator/Project Manager
- Program Director, Diversity Initiatives
- Research Associate, Diversity, Workforce and Educational Outcomes
- Senior Project Manager
- SQL Developer
Click on the position linked above for details and to complete an application.