May 3, 2021

May 3, 2021
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.


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.


Last Month to Access On-Demand Content!

GAIN ACCESS HERE

There’s still time to access the on-demand content from the 2021 ACGME Annual Educational Conference, which includes a variety of thought-provoking educational sessions, information from our poster presenters, and wellness sessions and activities. Register now and gain access through June 1, 2021. Learn more about the conference and register. Questions can be directed to 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.


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.


The Basics of Accreditation Workshops
May 18 Workshop Registration Closes Next Week!

The May 18 workshop has just a few openings left, nine openings are available for the May 24 workshop; and the others are filling 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.


NEW! Common Program Requirements-Survey Crosswalk

To facilitate review of the resident and faculty survey reports, crosswalk documents listing the applicable Common Program Requirement(s) for each item on the survey reports are now available on the ACGME website in the Common Resources section for each specialty, the DIO page and Surveys resource page. Additionally, the crosswalk documents may be accessed through the ACGME's Accreditation Data System (ADS) Help Center located in the top right corner within the ADS account (Resident/Fellow Survey section).


NEW! Journal of Graduate Medical Education (JGME) Articles for the Week

The Feasibility of Blinding Residency Programs to USMLE Step 1 Scores During GME Application, Interview, and Match Processes
Kathy W. Smith, MD, Richard Amini, MD, Madhulika Banerjee, BS, Conrad J. Clemens, MD, MPH
Residency programs will soon need to decide how to select and rank applicants in the absence of USMLE Step 1 data. By evaluating the feasibility of blinding residency programs to Step 1 scores throughout the entire recruitment process, this study provides foundational information that can be used by programs to meet this challenge.

Be sure to check out the accompanying Hot Topics in MedEd Podcast episode, USMLE Step 1 Pass/Fail: It’s Time For a Holistic Review.

Focusing on Diversity: A Regional Internal Medicine Residency Viewpoint on Underrepresented Minority Support, Retention, and Mentoring
Rachel Harris, MD, MPH, Kyle Covington, PT, DPT, PhD, Cristin Colford, MD, Nancy Denizard-Thompson, MD, Michael Contarino, MD, Kimberley Evans, MD, Aimee Zaas, MD, MHS, M. Suzanne Kraemer, MD, Diana McNeill, MD
This study sought to better understand the underrepresented in medicine (URiM) resident’s experience and what factors either positively or negatively affected them during training. It demonstrates how URiM residents could be affected by social support, mentorship, and external expectations and biases.


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! Volunteers Needed for Milestones Work Groups

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 23, 2021
Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology 
Critical Care Anesthesiology
Neurotology
Obstetric Anesthesiology
Pediatric Anesthesiology
Pediatric Otolaryngology

Email questions to milestones@acgme.org.


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 - This Wednesday!
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.


NEW! Revised Milestones Available

Updated versions of Milestones are now available for the following specialties and subspecialties. Programs will officially start using the new milestones in July 2021, with the first reporting in January 2022. Supplemental Guides have also be created as a companion tool for most specialties and are available in both a Word and PDF format on the Specialty Milestones pages.

Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology
Geriatric Medicine
Infectious Disease
Spinal Cord Injury Medicine

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.


UPDATED! 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

UPDATED! MEDICAL GENETICS AND GENOMICS
Details: The resident member must be currently enrolled in an ACGME-accredited medical genetics and genomics program or an approved combined program and must have at least one year of training left at the time of appointment. 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


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.


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.


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:

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