The ACGME recognizes and honors the extraordinary courage and commitment of those  working on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic to care for Americans in need, despite the toll it takes on their personal well-being.

Results recently published from a national survey of more than 6,000 graduate medical education (GME) program and institutional coordinators, led by members of the ACGME Well-Being team and published in Academic Medicine, reveal concerning levels of depression, anxiety, and burnout—underscoring the urgent need for greater support and recognition of these essential professionals.

As a new academic year approaches, it is important to continue breaking the silence surrounding clinician burnout. During a highly emotional and personal panel discussion at the 2019 ACGME Annual Educational Conference in March, Dr. Nasca and colleagues from other national organizations in medicine discussed how burnout and self-doubt touched their lives. Influenced by those experiences and others throughout his career, Dr. Nasca has positioned the ACGME to help lead the charge to address physician well-being.

The 2019 ACGME Annual Educational Conference offers so many great educational opportunities that it can be hard to know which sessions to choose. One “must-attend” plenary session focuses on the critically important topic of physician well-being.

This week's e-Communication includes information on the Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) Program's latest report, new AWARE resources for well-being, Milestones news, and more.

Researchers at the ACGME, Duke University, and Maastricht University published the results of a comprehensive study examining the leading causes of death for residents and fellows, building on a similar study completed in 2017.

These new requirements that all accredited US residency and fellowship programs follow in preparing today's physicians for practice reinforce a culture of patient safety and physician well-being by focusing on patient-centered, team-based care.

This week's edition includes details on a Letter to the Community from ACGME President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP regarding feedback gathered at listening sessions regarding ACGME processes during the COVID-19 pandemic; information on the Annual Educational Conference; updates to the ACGME's Physician Well-Being section of the website, and Review and Comment of Milestones 2.0 and ACGME Specialty-Specific Requirements.

As part of its commitment to staff and community well-being, the ACGME is partnering with Hope For The Day, a Chicago-based non-profit organization dedicated to mental health support and suicide prevention.

The ACGME has selected 30 resident/fellow teams to receive the fourth cycle of funding for Back to Bedside, a resident-led initiative to develop innovative strategies for finding deeper connections with patients, improving physician and patient well-being.