A Special Welcome to the Annual Educational Conference to International GME Attendees!
On behalf of the ACGME, we welcome those of you coming to the Annual Educational Conference from outside the US, and especially those of you attending for the first time. Below are some brief thoughts to help you navigate the conference and the program.
Even if you are attending for the first time (and even if this is your first time in the US), you should not hesitate to introduce yourself to the friendly folks that attend the conference. The Annual Educational Conference is one of the largest gatherings of graduate medical educators in the world, engaging designated institutional officials (DIOs), faculty members, program directors, program coordinators, residents, and others in graduate medical education (GME) who are passionate about education and collaboration. As overwhelming as the conference is, it is still an intimate environment where you will be sure to meet new colleagues with similar interests, and strangers will not remain strangers for long!
International newcomers are invited to the attend the ACGME-I-hosted reception on Saturday evening to meet colleagues and to continue in more relaxed settings the conversations started in the panels during the day. This is a great opportunity to meet the people who work for the ACGME-I, meet other ACGME staff and board members, and reunite with other international registrants.
The ACGME-I will also host an early breakfast meeting at this year’s ACGME Annual Educational Conference. This will be an opportunity for DIOs to share experiences and aspects of globalization of medicine, address the proposed Common Program Requirement eligibility changes for residents and fellows who have trained internationally, and network about issues related to international education. The breakfast meeting will be on Friday, March 2, in Gatlin A1-A2 from 6:30-7:30 a.m. with no RSVP required.
In recent years, the ACGME has made a special effort to expand its own international horizons, welcoming more attendees from abroad and working on more programs around the world. Many sessions at the 2018 conference reflect international issues, and you will find an increasing focus on international education concerns.
SES059 – International Review Committee Update will present “what’s new” in ACGME-I accreditation and explain the process of accreditation and its evolution to serve educational and country needs. SES079 – For He/She’s a Jolly Good Fellow is geared towards both international and US educators addressing proposed new eligibility for residents/fellows currently in ACGME-I programs who wish to pursue ACGME training in the US. SES104 – ACGME International Milestones – or is it Kilometerstones? Purpose and Pragmatics offers a panel of international educators and ACGME staff members to talk about the effort to assess the progress of residents in ACGME-I-accredited programs. The international team from Oman will present SES044 – International Clinical Competency Committees: Assessment Tools and Group Decision Making highlighting quantitative and qualitative tools for assessment.
Two highlights of this year’s conference are the presentation of the inaugural International Awards, and an opportunity for attendees to schedule one-on-one consultation sessions with ACGME-I staff members on Friday March 2. These sessions are open to any with questions about the ACGME-I, its processes, etc. Schedule your session in advance by e-mailing acgme-i@acgme-i.org.
Safe travels and we look forward to seeing you in Orlando this week!