The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has announced major changes in how medical residency programs will be accredited in the future, putting in place an outcomes-based evaluation system where future physicians will be measured for their competency in performing essential tasks necessary for clinical practice, according to a news release.
The ACGME's next accreditation system for graduate medical education will be implemented for seven specialties by July 2013, with plans to apply the accreditation system to all specialties by July 2014. When the new system goes into effect, each accredited medical residency program must demonstrate its residents have the core competencies and clinical skills to deliver quality patient care and respond to rapid developments in healthcare delivery.
Under the ACGME's next accreditation system:
• Medical residents and fellows must demonstrate competency in six core areas: patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, systems-based practice, professionalism and interpersonal skills, and communication.
• Teaching institutions are required to develop and publish the specific learning outcomes residents must demonstrate as they progress through training.
• Institutions must submit reports to the ACGME every six months that document each resident's accomplishments in meeting benchmarks for physician competence.
• The ACGME will update the accreditation status of each program yearly based on trends in key performance parameters.
The ACGME expects the new system will reduce the burden on teaching institutions while enhancing the profession's accountability to the public for the effectiveness of graduate medical education.
The ACGME's next accreditation system for graduate medical education will be implemented for seven specialties by July 2013, with plans to apply the accreditation system to all specialties by July 2014. When the new system goes into effect, each accredited medical residency program must demonstrate its residents have the core competencies and clinical skills to deliver quality patient care and respond to rapid developments in healthcare delivery.
Under the ACGME's next accreditation system:
• Medical residents and fellows must demonstrate competency in six core areas: patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, systems-based practice, professionalism and interpersonal skills, and communication.
• Teaching institutions are required to develop and publish the specific learning outcomes residents must demonstrate as they progress through training.
• Institutions must submit reports to the ACGME every six months that document each resident's accomplishments in meeting benchmarks for physician competence.
• The ACGME will update the accreditation status of each program yearly based on trends in key performance parameters.
The ACGME expects the new system will reduce the burden on teaching institutions while enhancing the profession's accountability to the public for the effectiveness of graduate medical education.
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