ACGME e-Communication - June 15, 2020

June 15, 2020

Access the COVID-19 Web Section
Visit the COVID-19 section of the ACGME website for access to a range of materials, including ACGME Guidance Statements, Frequently Asked Questions, Letters to the Specialty Communities, institutional and well-being resources, and more.


Calls for Sessions: 2021 Annual Educational Conference and Pre-Conferences - Two Weeks Left!
During and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the well-being and safety of the graduate medical education community and the public is the ACGME's top priority. Right now, the ACGME is moving ahead with the 2021 Annual Educational Conference in Nashville as planned. Recognizing that the pandemic may continue to impact in-person events, the ACGME will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. Updated information, including any changes to format or timing, will be posted on the ACGME website, in the weekly e-Communication, and on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

The Calls for Sessions for the 2021 Annual Educational Conference are open! Session proposals are being accepted for the Educational Conference, the Coordinator Forum Pre-Conference, and the ACGME/AOGME Osteopathic Recognition Pre-Conference.

Learn More and Submit a Proposal
Proposals Due: Friday, June 26, 2020 11:59 p.m. Central

Questions?

Annual Educational Conference: acgmeconference@acgme.org
Coordinator Forum Pre-Conference: coordinatorforum@acgme.org
ACGME/AOGME Osteopathic Recognition Pre-Conference: SingleGME@acgme.org


NEW! Annual Update FAQs Available
The ACGME held educational webinars for program directors and program coordinators to provide an overview of ADS changes and newly added questions to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on programs.

Participants learned about changes to the upcoming ADS Annual Update, including questions related to the new Common Program Requirements, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on programs’ clinical and didactic activities and the health of residents, fellows, and faculty members. (See Distance Learning News for links to view the webcasts.)

Questions submitted during these webinars have been developed into FAQs, which are posted in the ADS Help Center under “United States: Annual Update 2020-2021.”

Submit additional questions to the executive director of the applicable specialty Review Committee (contact information can be found on each specialty’s section of the ACGME website) and ADS staff members (ADS@acgme.org).


NEW! Webcast for Coordinators Available
"Managing Stress and Distress in the COVID-19 Era" will focus on strategies and techniques that Coordinators can use to manage their stress in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This webcast will be held June 18, 2020 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Central.

Register Today


NEW! ADS Annual Update in the Time of COVID-19 Webcast Recordings
Access recordings from the ADS Annual Update in the Time of COVID-19 Webcasts. These webcasts served as educational sessions to inform program coordinators and program directors about the questions in the ACGME Accreditation Data System (ADS) Annual Update regarding the ACGME Common Program Requirements and program experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, and to help prepare the program staff members to more efficiently complete the Annual Update. Log in to Learn at ACGME to access the webcasts:

Update for Program Coordinators held June 3
Update for Program Directors held June 4


NEW! Milestones News
A delayed start date for the Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Hematology-Medical Oncology Milestones 2.0 to July 1, 2021 had an unintentional negative impact on some programs that had already begun working on changes to their assessment tools and the systems used for tracking.

To avoid having to redo the work, a “map” between 1.0 and 2.0 has been created to use for the 2020-2021 academic year. For programs choosing to use the new Milestones, this “map” will assist in translating the scores from 2.0 back to the 1.0 version, which can then be entered into the Accreditation Data System (ADS). This is not an exact fit, but will provide enough information for completing the tasks. This map has been added to the end of the Supplemental Guide for each of the three specialties, and can be found here.


ACGME Announces Diversity and Inclusion Award for 2021
The ACGME is proud to announce the Diversity and Inclusion Award, a new award to support efforts to achieve diversity and inclusion in graduate medical education (GME).

The COVID-19 crisis has reinforced data showing that underrepresented minorities are the victims of systemic inequality. Eliminating disparities in health care requires a commitment from all-even, and especially, during times of crisis. This annual award will highlight the most innovative and exemplary initiatives that drive diversity in GME.

Read more about the award, including instructions for submitting a nomination
Nominations are due Friday, July 17, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Central.


Dr. Nasca Addresses Graduating Residents and Fellows
ACGME President and CEO Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP recorded a video message for all residents and fellows completing their program this spring—in the midst of a global pandemic, while caring for patients on the front lines during an extraordinary time.

In this video, Dr. Nasca recognizes residents and fellows for their altruism, expresses concern for their well-being, and encourages them to take the lessons learned about health disparities during the pandemic to improve care for all during the course of their careers.

Sponsoring Institutions and programs are encouraged to incorporate the video into their commencement activities and/or distribute it directly to their residents and fellows.

Learn More in the ACGME Newsroom
Access the Video on the ACGME’s Vimeo Channel


Program Requirements for Review and Comment - Deadline Approaching!
The following Program Requirements and accompanying Impact Statements are posted for review and comment, here:

Diagnostic Radiology
Interventional Radiology
Neuroradiology
Nuclear Medicine
Comment Deadline: July 1, 2020


Review Committee News / Notices - Dermatology
The Review Committee has updated its FAQs with information specific to the types of resident increases that a program may request, and the review process/parameters for each. The FAQs can be found on the Program Requirements and FAQs and Applications page of the Dermatology section of the ACGME website.


NEW! Review Committee News / Notices - Radiology
The Review Committee has added CPT codes 77061 and 77062 in the mammography Case Log category. The full list of Case Log categories and the diagnostic radiology required minimum numbers can be found on the Documents and Resources page of the Radiology section of the ACGME website.


Review Committee News / Notices - Transitional Year
The Review Committee added new FAQs on the following topics:

  • Guidance on early release from a transitional year program
  • Clarification of the core faculty member-to-resident ratio requirement
  • The applicability of the concept of autonomous practice to transitional year residents

The updated FAQs can be found on the Program Requirements and FAQs and Applications page of the Transitional Year section of the ACGME website.

Direct questions to Review Committee staff members, whose contact information can be found on the specialty section referenced above.


ACGME Seeks Public Members
The following Review Committees are seeking their next public member for terms beginning July 1, 2021. 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 - Deadline Approaching!
Contact:
Cheryl Gross
Deadline: July 1, 2020

Medical Genetics and Genomics
Details:
Read the full solicitation
Contact: Kate Hatlak
Deadline: July 31, 2020

Radiation Oncology - Deadline Approaching!
Contact: Cheryl Gross
Deadline: July 1, 2020


ACGME Seeks Resident Members - Specialties Added!
The following Review Committees are seeking their next resident member for terms beginning July 1, 2021. A resident member serves on the Review Committee to share the perspective of the resident, foster accountability to the needs of the resident, enrich the work the Committee through outside expertise, and create transparency in the work of the Review Committee. The Review Committee's selected nominee will be presented for approval by the ACGME Board of Directors at its September 2020 meeting. The new resident member's term will be from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023.

NEW! Neurological Surgery
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited neurological surgery program when appointed and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Read the full solicitation.
Contact: Jennifer Luna
Deadline: July 31, 2020

NEW! Orthopaedic Surgery
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited orthopaedic surgery program when appointed and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Read the full solicitation.
Contact: Jennifer Luna
Deadline: July 31, 2020

Pathology
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited pathology program when appointed and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Nomination instructions available upon request.
Contact: Katherine McCue
Deadline: July 31, 2020

Preventive Medicine
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited preventive medicine program when appointed and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Nomination instructions available upon request.
Contact: Katherine McCue
Deadline: July 31, 2020

NEW! Surgery
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited residency program when appointed and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Applicants must be a current PGY-2 to PGY-4 during the 2021-2022 academic year. Nomination instructions available upon request.
Contact: Michelle Armstrong
Deadline: August 14, 2020

NEW! Thoracic Surgery
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited residency program when appointed and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Applicants must be a current PGY-2 to PGY-4 during the 2021-2022 academic year. Nomination instructions available upon request.
Contact: Michelle Armstrong
Deadline: August 14, 2020

Urology
Details: Nominees must be a resident in an ACGME-accredited urology program, or a fellow in an ACGME-accredited pediatric urology or female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery program. A nominee must be able to serve a two-year term. Read the full solicitation.
Contact: Tina Espina
Deadline: August 10, 2020