February 5, 2024

February 5, 2024
NEW! Regarding Notice of Invalidated USMLE Scores

Some examinees and programs have received notice of invalidated USMLE scores after an investigation of anomalous exam performance associated with test takers in Nepal.

The ACGME provides the following guidance:

  • For inquiries regarding implications of test invalidation and opportunities to retest, contact the USMLE via Jill Heagerty at jheagerty@nbme.org.
  • For inquiries related to Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate status from those who received notice of test invalidation, contact Tracy Wallowicz at twallowicz@intealth.org.
  • For ACGME-accredited programs:
    • Residents who have an invalidated ECFMG certificate are no longer eligible to participate in the program unless/until the certificate is reinstated. (Common Program Requirement III.A.1.b).(1))
    • Per ACGME Institutional Requirement IV.D.1.b), residents must have access to due process related to suspension or dismissal from a program.

Online Registration Closes February 16!

Featured Plenaries and Sunset Session

The four Featured Plenaries showcase diverse and influential speakers who will cover a range of timely topics in graduate medical education (GME). These sessions will be held concurrently Friday, March 8 at 10:30 a.m.:

  • What Everyone Needs to Know about GME Finances
  • Closing the Gaps in the Care of the Disabled: The Role of Graduate Medical Education Note: A new speaker has been added to this session.
  • The Generative AI Revolution: Innovations and Opportunities in Medical Education
  • Graduate Medical Education following the SCOTUS Affirmative Action Decision

Additionally, a Sunset Session will be held from 5:00-6:00 p.m.:

  • Inclusion, Belonging, and Mattering: Life as LGBTQIA+ in the Current Learning Environment
More than 4,000 people have already registered for the conference. The hotel room block has sold out.


Annual Educational Conference Job Board
Recruiters, institutions, and programs can post open positions and reach thousands of GME community job seekers before and throughout the conference. At the conference, a dedicated area of the Exhibit Hall will have in-person recruiters and career resources.

Review and Comment
The following Program Requirements and accompanying Impact Statement are posted for review and comment here:

DEADLINE: FEBURARY 29, 2024
General Surgery

RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS! Back to Bedside Funding Available

The ACGME's Back to Bedside initiative is designed to empower residents and fellows to develop transformative projects that foster meaning and joy in work and allow them to engage on a deeper level with what is at the heart of medicine: their patients.

This Back to Bedside funding cycle offers two options for applicants to consider:

  • The Open Innovation option is intended to provide flexibility for novel proposals.
  • The Project in a Box - Focused Innovation option offers residents and fellows from all specialties a successful project example to use as inspiration for further innovation.

Proposals are due by April 22, 2024.

Learn More

Help spread the word! Email or post this flyer to share with residents and fellows.


NEXT WEEK! Comment on the Draft Foundational Competencies for Undergraduate Medical Education

The ACGME, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), are requesting input on the first draft of the Foundational Competencies for Undergraduate Medical Education.

This work is part of a multi-year initiative led by the ACGME, AAMC, and AACOM to create a common set of foundational competencies for use in UME programs in the US. This initiative aligns with recommendations outlined by the Undergraduate Medical Education-Graduate Medical Education Review Committee and is part of a comprehensive effort to improve the transition to residency.

Input is due by Monday, February 12, 2024.


COMING UP! Free Webinars on Faculty Development Toolkits
TOMORROW! REMEDIATION TOOLKIT
Join a 45-minute online walkthrough of the Remediation Toolkit on February 6, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. Central. There will be time for Q and A during the session.

Authored by experts from across the US, the toolkit is intended to enhance the success and development of struggling learners across a number of domains, providing guidance on coaching professionalism, communication skills, clinical reasoning, and organization and efficiency. The webinar will offer an overview of the toolkit and its uses. The toolkit and the webinar are offered at no cost to the GME community.


NEXT MONDAY! DIRECT OBSERVATION TOOLKIT
Participate in a free workshop Monday, February 12 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Central. 

Explore the ACGME’s new Improving Assessment Using Direct Observation Toolkit with ACGME experts and toolkit authors in this workshop. It is designed to help faculty members improve the frequency and quality of direct observation of learners with patients. The toolkit and workshop are offered at no cost to members of the GME community.

OPENS NEXT WEEK! Resident/Fellow and Faculty Surveys

The reporting period for the ACGME’s annual surveys will open February 12, 2024, and run for eight weeks, ending April 7, 2024. The ACGME anticipates that Sponsoring Institutions and programs will receive survey reports in early May.

The ACGME will continue to notify and remind Sponsoring Institutions and program leaders about the survey throughout the administration period. As in previous years, program leadership is charged with alerting survey takers about their participation using the existing mechanisms available within the Accreditation Data System (ADS). The ACGME will NOT notify your survey takers directly. Program administrators should review and, if necessary, update their Resident/Fellow and Faculty Rosters in ADS before the surveys open to ensure accurate scheduling of survey participants.

Email questions to ADS@acgme.org.


Women with Disabilities in Medicine/Disability in Graduate Medical Education Panel: Transitioning from UME to GME
The event, open to all at no cost, will be held March 28 from 2:30-4:00 p.m. Central. Captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) are provided.

Leaders and learners will share insights on navigating the pathway from medical school to residency, thriving as a resident with a disability, and addressing the unique challenges that often disproportionally impact women. The panel discussion will be moderated by ACGME Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Pilar Ortega, MD.

Register to Participate


Now Accepting Nominations for the 2025 ACGME Awards!
The ACGME recognizes notable designated institutional officials, program directors, residents and fellows, institutional and program coordinators, programs, institutions, and specialty and not-for-profit organizations for their outstanding work and contributions to GME through its Awards Program, which includes:
  • John C. Gienapp Award
  • Barbara Ross-Lee, DO Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award
  • David C. Leach Award
  • Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence Award
  • GME Institutional Coordinator Excellence Award
  • Lewis Blackman Patient Safety Award
  • Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award
  • Parker J. Palmer Courage to Lead Award
Nomination materials are available on each award's page in the Awards section of the ACGME website. The nomination deadline is March 27 at 5:00 p.m. Central.
ACGME Seeks Members for MUA/P Advisory Group
The ACGME seeks nominations of a resident/fellow and senior clinical executive leader (e.g., chief executive officers, chief medical officers, chief nursing officers) for the MUA/P Advisory Group. This group provides consultation concerning implementation of the ACGME’s framework for MUA/P and GME. Nominations are due by March 17, 2024.

The senior clinical executive leader will serve up to three years with the option of renewing for an additional three-year term. Resident/fellow members will serve two-year terms. Self-nominations are accepted.

Details: Additional information is available on the MUA/P Advisory Group web page of the ACGME website.
Contact: Laney McDougal
Deadline: March 17, 2024

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

Geographic Reach of Surgery Residency Applicants During In-Person and Virtual Interviews
Alessandra Storino, MD, MSc; John C. Polanco-Santana, MD, MSc; Rachel Sampson, MBA; Charity Glass, MD, MPP; Anne Fabrizio, MD; Tara S. Kent, MD, MS, FACS
Do virtual interviews increase surgery residency program geographic reach as well as underrepresented in medicine applicants and those from areas identified as lower income? This study demonstrated in-person interviewing was associated with decreased geographic reach for applicants from communities with higher poverty levels. These findings suggest that offering virtual interviews to surgery residency applicants may be an additional strategy to enhance program diversity.

Promising Practices in US Sponsoring Institutions to Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Graduate Medical Education
Jed David Gonzalo, MD MSc
This qualitative study analyzed 12 Sponsoring Institutions' applications for the ACGME's Barbara Ross-Lee, DO, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. The author identified common themes and subthemes in the approaches taken to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Institutions seeking to improve their DEI work can benefit from these themes to create a comprehensive plan.


Call for Nominations for Resident/Fellow Members of the JGME Editorial Board
JGME is seeking current residents or fellows for open resident editor positions on its Editorial Board. Selected editors will join a diverse board representing a wide range of specialties and institutions. The deadline for receipt of nomination materials is Monday, March 11, 2024. There are two resident/fellow editor positions:
  • Position A: Residents or fellows who wish to learn about and participate in the manuscript submission to final decision process for JGME (up to four positions available)
  • Position B: Residents or fellows who want to participate in the visual abstract program for accepted articles (up to three positions available)
Candidates should email their CV and a brief letter of interest to jgme@acgme.org. The letter should include a statement that the applicant’s program director supports participation and whether the applicant is interested in position A or B.

Visit jgme.org for details; email questions to jgme@acgme.org.

A Systems Approach to Developing Faculty Competencies in Assessment
This course will be offered May 5-10, 2024 at the ACGME office in Chicago, Illinois.

The course is designed to help participants build effective assessment programs for their residency or fellowship. Sessions are highly interactive and use multiple learning approaches, including simulation practice, peer consultations, and application exercises, to provide participants with methods and tools for effective assessment. The course also provides a roadmap for developing an assessment system to assist participants in implementing changes within their own institution.

Email questions to Faculty Development Program Manager Chandra Hill.

Leadership Skills Training Program for Chief Residents 2024 Dates Announced
The Leadership Skills Training Program for Chief Residents is designed to provide a transitional experience into the role of chief resident. The program introduces leadership concepts to enhance individual effectiveness in a leadership role.

The program is three full days and is open to chief residents from all medical and surgical specialties. Eight sessions will be offered in 2024:
    • March 25-27, Chicago, Illinois
    • April 8-10, Redondo Beach, California
    • April 11-13, Redondo Beach, California
    • April 29-May 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    • May 6-8, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    • May 9-11, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    • June 13-15, Chicago, Illinois
    • June 18-20, Chicago, Illinois

Register Today!

Email questions to Manager, Well-Being Initiatives Bethanie Alden


Career Opportunities

The ACGME is always interested in finding talented, dedicated individuals to join the organization and support its mission to improve health care and population health by assessing and enhancing the quality of resident and fellow physicians' education through advancements in accreditation and education.