NEW! DIO Approval of Annual Updates
Effective July 1, 2021, DIOs must oversee submissions of the Annual Update in the Accreditation Data System (ADS) for each of their programs. A new tool in ADS allows DIOs and institutional coordinators to review and approve or return a program's Annual Update to the program director with suggested changes. Recognizing that Sponsoring Institutions are learning to use the tool, the Institutional Review Committee will not review their compliance with this requirement (I.A.5.b).(2)) in the 2021-2022 accreditation cycle.
DIO Approval Process
- The program director completes and submits the Annual Update.
- The DIO/institutional coordinator(s) receive an email from donotreply@acgme.org with an invitation to review the submission, log into ADS, and click on “Approve Annual Updates” under the "Sponsored Programs" tab.
- The DIO and institutional coordinators review the Annual Update(s).
- They select “Approve” or “Return to Program Director for Clarification.”
- If the program Annual Update is approved, the process is complete.
- If returned for clarification, the program director must resubmit the Annual Update and the DIO/institutional coordinator must re-review.
- This continues until the DIO/institutional coordinator approves the Annual Update.
Note: Program directors are encouraged to submit their Annual Update with plenty of time for review and revision. DIO approval must be documented prior to the program’s Annual Update due date. Once DIO approval is given, ADS does not have an option for the DIO to change the selection. In such cases, the DIO should contact program director to suggest changes. The review process does not lock the information in the Annual Update. DIOs will only see the version submitted to them. If the Annual Update is returned or the DIO requests changes after approval, the program director must make the revisions and re-submit the Annual Update so the DIO can review and approve them.
Email questions to irc@acgme.org and ads@acgme.org.
NEW! DOCC App for Evaluators Upgraded
The ACGME recently upgraded the implementation process for the DOCC app, a tool helping faculty members and other evaluators conduct direct observation assessments of residents and fellows performing a variety of clinical activities. The upgrade removes most of the technical work required to install the app on premises, making it significantly easier for Sponsoring Institutions and programs to use.
This open-access tool is designed for Sponsoring Institutions and programs to implement on premises, either on a local server or using hosting service. The trial version of the app, which is cloud-based and hosted by the ACGME, is available for testing purposes for one year. To use the app after one year, the trial version must be replaced with an on-premises version so program data can be stored locally in accordance with an individual Sponsoring Institution’s or program’s security standards.
Download DOCC from the App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android, along with its user instructions. Sponsoring Institutions and programs interested in setting up the DOCC app locally are advised to work with their IT teams to download the DOCC package, which is available in the app and includes the system specifications needed to support it, as well as the new instructions for implementation.
Email questions to de@acgme.org or for assistance with implementation.
NEW! Milestones 2.0 Review and Comment
New drafts of the Milestones 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.
NEW! Sunday, September 12, 2021
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Addiction Psychiatry
Neuromuscular Medicine
Sports Medicine
Milestones Quality Assurance
The ACGME has established a quality assurance program as a part of the Milestones 2.0 implementation process and is looking for 20 volunteers in each of the following specialties and subspecialties to participate in this process:
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Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant |
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities |
Volunteers should be actively involved in program leadership or a member of their program's Clinical Competency Committee. Over the next few years, the ACGME will collect feedback about the new Milestones through a combination of focus groups and surveys. Focus groups will be held at annual program director meetings, and surveys will be completed electronically or by phone. Surveys will be brief and should take less than five minutes to complete.
Email questions to milestones@acgme.org.
Milestones 2.0 Webcasts Available
- Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology
- Brain Injury Medicine (in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Neurology)
- Chemical Pathology
- Cytopathology
- Dermatopathology (in Dermatology and Pathology)
- Geriatric Medicine
- Hematopathology
- Medical Biochemical Genetics
- Medical Microbiology
- Micrographic Surgical Dermatologic Oncology
- Molecular Genetic Pathology (in Medical Genetics and Genomics and Pathology)
- Musculoskeletal Radiology
- Neurology
- Neuropathology
- Neuroradiology
- Nuclear Radiology
- Otolaryngology
NEW! JGME Articles for the Week
An Examination of Resident Perspectives on Survey Participation and Methodology: Implications for Educational Practice and Research
Colleen Y. Colbert, PhD; Andrei Brateanu, MD; Amy S. Nowacki, PhD; Allison Prelosky- Leeson, MEd; Judith C. French, PhD
Despite the importance of survey methodology, physician response rates have declined for years, and few studies have focused on the use of surveys specifically within resident populations. This qualitative study, using mixed-specialty focus groups, found common themes among residents that point to potential barriers to survey participation. While program cultures differ across institutions, the authors believe these findings should be relevant to anyone in graduate medical education using survey methodology for programmatic data collection, accreditation, and research.
Race and Gender Bias in Internal Medicine Program Director Letters of Recommendation
Neil Zhang, MD, MS; Sarah Blissett, MD, MHPE; David Anderson, MD; Patricia O'Sullivan, EdD; Atif Qasim, MD, MSCE
This research study, featured in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice section, examined program director letters of recommendation for applicants to a cardiology fellowship program to determine how bias is expressed and whether the 2017 Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) guidelines reduce bias. While AAIM guidelines seemed to reduce use of communal language for underrepresented in cardiology applicants, bias still existed in letters, including doubt-raising and bias in career trajectory. Based on their findings, the authors provide recommendations for program directors and for the AAIM guidelines.
ACGME Requirements for Review and Comment
The following Program Requirements and Recognition Requirements and accompanying Impact Statements are posted for review and comment, here:
Comment Deadline: August 25, 2021 - Deadlines Approaching!
Institutional Requirements
Recognition for Sponsoring Institutions with Non-Standard Training Programs for J-1 Visa Sponsorship
Comment Deadline: September 1, 2021
Radiation Oncology
Comment Deadline: September 3, 2021
Health Care Administration, Leadership, and Management
Call for Public Members - Deadlines Approaching!
The following Review Committees are seeking their next public member for six-year terms beginning July 1, 2022. These members share the perspective of the public, foster public accountability, enrich the work of the Committee through outside expertise, and create transparency. While nominees cannot be physicians, other health care professionals are permitted if they are not employed by an organization with ACGME-accredited residency or fellowship programs.
NEUROLOGY - Deadline Approaching!
Details: Additional information is available on the Documents and Resources page of the Neurology section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Larisa Cassie
Deadline: August 31, 2021
PSYCHIATRY - Deadline Approaching!
Details: Additional information is available on the Documents and Resources page of the Psychiatry section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Larisa Cassie
Deadline: August 31, 2021
FAMILY MEDICINE
Details: Details and nomination instructions are available on the Documents and Resources page of the Family Medicine section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Sandra Benitez
Deadline: September 1, 2021
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
Details: Details and information is available on the Documents and Resources page of the Orthopaedic Surgery section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Jennifer Luna
Deadline: September 1, 2021
OSTEOPATHIC NEUROMUSCULOSKELETAL MEDICINE
Details: Additional information and the nomination form are available upon request.
Contact: Ariel Viera
Deadline: September 10, 2021
Calls for Resident Members
The following Review/Recognition Committees are seeking their next resident member for a July 1, 2022-June 30, 2024 term. Resident members provide the learner perspective, foster accountability to the needs of residents and fellows, and enrich the work of the committee. Selected nominees will be presented to the ACGME Board of Directors for approval.
FAMILY MEDICINE - Deadline Friday!
Details: The resident member must be enrolled at the PGY-2 level in a three-year ACGME-accredited family medicine program as of July 1, 2022. For details, visit the Documents and Resources page in the Family Medicine section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Sandra Benitez
Deadline: August 20, 2021
COLON AND RECTAL SURGERY - Deadline Approaching!
Details: Visit the Documents and Resources page of the Colon and Rectal Surgery section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Jennifer Luna
Deadline: August 27, 2021
OTOLARYNGOLOGY - HEAD AND NECK SURGERY - Deadline Approaching!
Details: Visit the Documents and Resources page of the Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Jennifer Luna
Deadline: August 27, 2021
ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY - Deadline Approaching!
Details: Visit the Documents and Resources page of the Allergy and Immunology section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Larisa Cassie
Deadline: August 31, 2021
OPHTHALMOLOGY
Details: Visit the Documents and Resources page in the Ophthalmology section of the ACGME website.
Contact: Tina Espina
Deadline: October 15, 2021
OSTEPATHIC NEUROMUSCULOSKELETAL MEDICINE
Details: The resident member must be enrolled in an ACGME-accredited osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine residency program on or prior to the start of the Review Committee term and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Details and nomination instructions are available upon request.
Contact: Ariel Viera
Deadline: September 10, 2021
OSTEOPATHIC RECOGNITION
Details: The resident member must be enrolled in an ACGME-accredited program with Osteopathic Recognition, in a designated position, on July 1, 2022, and may not serve more than one year beyond completion of the program. Details and nomination instructions are available upon request.
Contact: Ariel Viera
Deadline: September 9, 2021
Review Committee for Ophthalmology
Programs that have established an integrated ophthalmology format or joint preliminary year/ophthalmology format are reminded that the PGY-1 year must be included in the block diagram uploaded into the Accreditation Data System during the Annual Update. Ophthalmology-specific block diagram instructions are now available on the Documents and Resources page of the Ophthalmology section of the ACGME website.
Programs are also reminded that the Documents and Resources page includes a 2020 memo to the community that addresses common questions about the Program Requirements for Ophthalmology effective July 1, 2021.
Approved Clinical Year Programs for Radiology
A listing of approved clinical year programs in both diagnostic and interventional radiology is now available on the Documents and Resources page of the Radiology section of the ACGME website. The document will be updated after each Review Committee meeting at which clinical year requests are considered.
Career Opportunities
The ACGME currently has the following open positions:
- Accreditation Administrator
- Accreditation Field Representative
- Director, Institutional Outreach and Collaboration
- Senior Attorney and Manager of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
Click on the position linked above for details and to complete an application.