April 2012
Graduate Medical Education
Is GME headed in the right direction? Vote now in poll
As noted in our March issue, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is implementing a new system of accreditation in GME. The goal is to shift the focus from process to outcomes and to measure resident physicians' competence, not strictly by time served but by milestones achieved. This effort also is intended to reduce the burden on program directors, by lengthening the review cycle for programs that comply with the new guidelines.
What do you think? Is this a realistic effort? Will it help improve the quality of GME, and of physicians? Vote now in our online poll.
Also, read an American Medical News article on the new system, and check out a recent commentary by Kenneth M. Ludmerer, MD, in Academic Medicine: "The History of Calls for Reform in Graduate Medical Education and Why We Are Still Waiting for the Right Kind of Change."
Unique disability insurance plan earns high marks
At a recent AMA meeting, a group of residents was introduced to a new individual disability insurance plan called Essentials. Fully 100 percent of the residents surveyed said they would strongly recommend this plan to their peers and urged the AMA to quickly raise awareness of the plan.
Learn more now about Essentials (underwritten by MetLife Insurance) and register for a webinar on the plan, April 17 at 2 p.m. Eastern time.
Due to the exclusivity of this policy, the open enrollment period for graduating residents and fellows will end on June 15. Applicants only have to answer a few basic questions; no time-consuming medical exams are required during the enrollment period.
Questions? Call (855) 210-4015 or email GMEDirectorinfo@mdessentialsprogram.com.
Check out the AMA Resident Outreach Program
The AMA would like to team with your institution for the Resident Outreach Program (ROP).
The AMA ROP strives to increase resident and fellow awareness of the AMA, including important resources and advocacy that helps physicians throughout their training and into practice.
As part of this program, the AMA engages with residents during orientations, through an AMA table set up at exhibit fairs. Alternatively, if your institution does not have this type of forum available, the AMA can send you materials that you may wish to include in your orientation kits, GME office or other activities.
If your institution is interested in participating in ROP, please complete our online form by Apr. 15.
News and notes
- Pressure is mounting to change the structure of GME financing, writes John Iglehart in a recent commentary (NEJM).
- iPads: One key to making medical residents more efficient? (Archives of Internal Medicine).
- End-of-life care practices: A new way to rank residency programs? (The Dartmouth Institute).
- Doctor, heal thyself (or not): Self-prescribing among resident physicians declining (American Medical News).
- Taking credit where credit isn't due? Study calls into question published research, accomplishments by nearly one third of fellowship program applicants in one subspecialty (Obstetrics and Gynecology).
- Where are we at? Check out a new collection of key indicators in medical education, covering physician work force, education costs and student indebtedness, gender diversity and more.
- Family medicine residency programs moving to four years in length? RRC News, Family Medicine)
- Defensive medicine making its way to medical school, residency (American Medical News).
- Students lobby Congress on school debt, GME funding AMA Wire)
AMA resources for you and your trainees
- View an archived version of our webinar on ways to expand and improve GME
- Check out our new recommendations on strategies to expand funding of GME
- Get trend data on undergraduate and graduate medical education
- Watch a YouTube video summary of the New Horizons in Medical Education conference
- Help your residents master the ACGME general competency requirements
- Learn more about patient safety in medical education
- Get updated information on medical licensure
- Obtain state-by-state GME data
- Get an updated copy of our GME glossary (email meded@ama-assn.org with "glossary" in subject line)
For more reading
