HRSA’s Bureau of Health Professions/ Division of Medicine and Dentistry administers the THCGME program which is aimed at increasing the number of primary care residents and dentists trained in community-based ambulatory patient care settings. In order to be considered eligible for the program entities must be: (1) community-based ambulatory patient care centers that operate a primary care residency program(either family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine-pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, and geriatrics)and (2) listed as institutional sponsors by the relevant accrediting body (HRSA Announcement Number -12-029). A Teaching Health Center (THC) may be a central component of a consortium listed as the sponsoring institution for the residency program by the appropriate accrediting body. Funding can only be used for the costs of new residents in a newly-established THC residency program or an expanded number of residents in a pre-existing THC residency program. The window for the ‘second wave’ of applications closed on October 11, 2011. There will be a third wave of applications considered in fiscal year 2012.

The ACGME has summarized pertinent points to assist program directors who are submitting an application for accreditation of a new residency program in response to the THCGME grant program. Applications for all new residency programs undergo the same accreditation process according to established ACGME standards. The accreditation process is separate from HRSA's review of applications for the THCGME program.

ACGME will host a conference call on December 8th, 2011 at 10:00 am (Central Time Zone) for those
interested in pursuing ACGME residency accreditation in anticipation of submitting a proposal to HRSA
for the THCGME program.