February 15, 2021

February 15, 2021
Access Information on COVID-19

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.


The Conference Starts Next Week!

Standard registration closes THIS WEDNESDAY, February 17.Attendees must pre-register to access the conference platform as soon as it opens on February 24. While Premium registration will be available during and after the conference, those who register during or after the conference may have delayed access to the platform. Learn more about conference registration and pricing. Current registrants can switch to Premium access by emailing registration@acgme.org.

Marvin R. Dunn Keynote Address Speaker Dr. Donald Berwick will explore the current scientific understanding of the nature and impact of social determinants of health, and their relationships with societal commitments to equity, compassion, solidarity, and justice. Closing Plenary Speaker Dr. Camara Jones will discuss the behavior changes necessary in medical education to eliminate health inequalities. Learn more about these speakers and view the full conference schedule.


NEW! ACGME Common Program Requirements for Review and Comment

Focused revisions to Section II of the Common Program Requirements relating to dedicated time for program directors, assistant/associate program directors, program coordinators, and core faculty members are now posted for a 45-day public review and comment period.

The proposed revisions were recommended by a special task force appointed by the ACGME Board of Directors, and based on review of more than 100 position papers submitted by representatives from across the medical community, data collected from the ACGME Accreditation Data System, a comprehensive literature search, and feedback from internal and external stakeholder congresses.

After the public comment period ends, the Task Force will review the comments and make a final recommendation to the ACGME Committee on Requirements for approval at its June meeting. The proposed effective date for the final requirements is July 1, 2022.

More information will be shared in future e-Communications, on the ACGME website, and through social media as it becomes available.

The following Program Requirements and Recognition Requirements and accompanying Impact Statements are posted for review and comment, here:

Comment Deadline: March 31, 2021
Common Program Requirements (Residency)
Common Program Requirements (Fellowship)
Common Program Requirements (One-Year Fellowship)
Common Program Requirements (Post-Doctoral Education Program)


SAVE THE DATE! Leadership Skills Training Program for Chief Resident

The Leadership Skills Training Program for Chief Residents will be delivered in an online format for 2021. The program includes seven, 90-minute weekly sessions from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Central on Fridays, starting May 7 through June 18, 2021.

The fee is $450 and registration is limited to 60 participants. Registration will open early March.

Email questions to ariley@acgme.org.


Developing Faculty Competencies in Assessment: Virtual Course

Registration is open for the ACGME's virtual faculty development course. The course will provide the basic content of the live course through a series of interactive workshops and small group activities designed to help faculty members and leaders achieve the goals of competency-based assessment in graduate medical education.

Dates: Fridays, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Central, March 12-April 23, 2021 (No session April 2)
Cost: $495 per participant

For details and to register, visit the Faculty Development web page.


NEW! Join the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Forum

The ACGME's Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hosts a monthly leadership forum to provide a peer-advisory network of new and seasoned leaders who address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their Sponsoring Institutions and programs. More than 300 individuals have registered for the monthly educational sessions, in which diversity and corporate leaders from across the country share their expertise and address challenges faced by the GME around these issues.

Critical issues regarding strategic development of offices or departments, including leadership skills, dedicated time and requisite resource allocation, are key objectives for the forum, and all are invited to participate.

The forum is held on the second Wednesday of the month at 5:00-6:00 p.m. Central. The next forum will be March 10.

Email diversity@acgme.org for details.


NEW! Journal of Graduate Medical Education (JGME) Is Now Open to All

In support of its mission to improve health care through graduate medical education, JGME will be completely open access as of February 2021. This means all JGME articles and content will be immediately available to the entire GME community and to the general public. All archived issues are also now available. Please help us spread the word about this exciting development!

Read JGME


NEW! Celebrate Thank a Resident Day

Help the ACGME recognize residents and fellows February 26! On social media (Twitter and LinkedIn), the ACGME will share its appreciation for residents and fellows with the hashtag #ThankAResidentDay and encourages everyone who works with or knows a resident or fellow to spread the word.

Those active on Twitter should use the hashtag to post a message (note, quote, picture) thanking the resident in their lives or recognizing their own residency or fellowship programs.

Be sure to tag @acgme! The ACGME will be retweeting messages to promote the message of gratitude and support all day long.

Contact Justin Dreyfuss questions or ideas on how to get involved.


NEW! Visit Distance Learning at the Annual Educational Conference!

See what's new in Distance Learning and sample the large selection of interactive courses by clicking on the Learn at ACGME banner in the ACGME Hub at this year's conference February 24-26!

There will be curated a selection of resources on well-being, assessment, and accreditation, including some brand-new resources for the GME community. There are also opportunities for feedback and a chance to engage with the Distance Learning team.

Register for the 2021 Annual Educational Conference. Email questions to de@agme.org.


ACGME Names Inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Awardees

Emory University School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine are the inaugural winners of the ACGME Diversity and Inclusion Award, which recognizes their innovation, commitment, and thought leadership to create physician workforce diversity, and efforts to promote inclusivity.

Emory's emergency medicine residency displayed exceptional commitment to pathway programs into medicine and local engagement with the greater Atlanta community. Morehouse School of Medicine receives the award after displaying years of dedication to pathway programs, reinvesting in the local community, and diverse recruitment and retention.

Read more about the recipients in the ACGME Newsroom.


2022 ACGME Awards Nominations Open

Now accepting nominations for the 2022 ACGME Awards!

The ACGME recognizes notable designated institutional officials, program directors, residents and fellows, and institutional and program coordinators for their outstanding work and contributions to graduate medical education through its Awards Program.

Nomination materials are available in the Awards section of the ACGME website.

The deadline for nominations is March 24, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. Central.


Volunteers Needed for Milestones Work Groups

Volunteer for a Work Group reviewing the current Milestones and determine what, if any, changes need to be made, by specialty. Members of the GME community are invited to serve on these work groups.

Nominees must be proficient in one or more of the Competencies, be familiar with the Milestones, and need not be physicians. Participants will be selected based on multiple criteria, including level of expertise, specialty and regional diversity, and need.

Deadline: Sunday, March 7, 2021
Adult Reconstructive Orthopaedic Surgery
Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Surgery
Hand Surgery
Musculoskeletal Oncology
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
Orthopaedic Trauma
Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery

Email questions tomilestones@acgme.org.


Review Committee News / Notices: Dermatology

The Micrographic Surgery and Dermatological Oncology FAQs have been updated. The document is available on the Program Requirements and FAQs and Applications page in the Dermatology section of the ACGME website.


Review Committee News / Notices: Internal Medicine

The JGME article "Internal Medicine 2035: Preparing the Future Generation of Internists" is now available on the Documents and Resources page in the Internal Medicine section of the ACGME website.

Review Committee News / Notices: Nuclear Medicine

In light of the American Board of Nuclear Medicine's (ABNM) institution of multiple pathways for required radiotherapy experience, the Review Committee will not find programs to be non-compliant as long as residents meet one of those pathways specified by the ABNM.

Contact Review Committee staff members with questions or concerns.


Review Committee News / Notices: Ophthalmology

ACGME Case Log Resource Available
"Ophthalmology Case Log Information" consolidates previous Case Log information into one document and provides answers to frequently asked questions to encourage standardized logging practices across programs, help ensure proper credit is given to the required minimums, and provide important new guidance regarding logging multiple procedures on the same patient. The document is available on the Documents and Resources page of the Ophthalmology section of the ACGME website.

Recording Available
A recording of the Review Committee's webinar held on January 25, 2021 is now available on Learn at ACGME.


Review Committee News / Notices: Radiation Oncology

Case Log Reminders: Required Minimums
The following changes to the required case log minimums are now reflected in the Case Log System:

The following new requirements related to the required Brachytherapy - Intracavitary procedures (minimum of 15) will be reflected in a future update to the Case Log System:

  • A minimum of five must be tandem-based insertions for at least two patients
  • No more than five should be cylinder insertions

This future update will allow residents to select either tandem-based insertion or cylinder insertion for Brachytherapy - Intracavitary procedures. In the meantime, residents should specify this information in the comments field.

The previous requirement limiting the maximum number of patients treated for External Beam Radiation Therapy to 250 patients per year has been changed to a maximum of 350 simulations per year.

The new requirements went into effect on July 1, 2020; however, due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduates' ability to complete all clinical procedures, no citations will be issued on the new requirements until after June 2022. Residents graduating during academic years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 will be expected to meet the previous minimums (5 Brachytherapy - Interstitial, 6 Unsealed Sources, and no differentiation of Brachytherapy - Intracavitary procedures).

Case Log Reminders: Recommended Minimums
Last year, the Review Committee established recommended minimums for nine disease sites within the External Beam Radiation Therapy category. These minimums are outlined on Page 6 of the FAQsfor the ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in Radiation Oncology, effective July 1, 2020.

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


Review Committee News / Notices: Radiology

The Review Committee is now accepting applications from programs seeking to add afundamental clinical skills of medicine year. The Committee will consider applications for 60-month diagnostic radiology programs and 72-month interventional radiology-integrated programs. All programs in good accreditation standing are eligible to apply.

Applications must be submitted by March 5, 2021 to be considered at the April 22-24, 2021 meeting. Contact Jenny Campbell or Bianca Andinoto request the application.


Career Opportunities

The ACGME currently has the following open position:

Accreditation Administrator

Click on the position linked above for details and to complete an application.