NEW! NAM to Host "Supporting Clinician Well-Being During COVID-19" Webinar on May 7
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM)'s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, which the ACGME co-chairs, is hosting "Supporting Clinician Well-Being During COVID-19," a 90-minute webinar Thursday, May 7 from 12:30-2:00 p.m. Central.
Developed in partnership with the ACGME, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, and the Association of American Medical Colleges, the webinar offers a timely discussion and platform for physicians, nurses, students, and health system leaders on the front lines of health care during COVID-19 to delve into the critical needs, priorities, and emerging strategies to support the mental and emotional well-being of clinicians-both during and beyond the pandemic. This webinar is open to the public and will be recorded.
In 2016, the ACGME partnered with the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) and NAM to co-chair the Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience. This collaborative, which includes more than 150 other organizations, works to promote physician well-being and resilience, leveraging its members' influence to create a healthier, safer medical community.
Letters to the Specialty Communities
A page in the COVID-19 section of the ACGME website includes letters to the specialty communities from the ACGME Review Committees and their staff and leadership. No new letters have been added since the last e-Communication.
Read Specialty Letters to the Community
NEW! Clarifications and Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs are being developed in response to questions and requests for clarification the ACGME has received as it has communicated its response to the current pandemic crisis.
View the FAQs on the Frequently Asked Questions page in the COVID-19 section of the ACGME website.
Accreditation Data System (ADS)
Q: Regarding the start/end dates of each rotation for the 2020-2021 block diagram, does it matter when each block starts? For example, since the start of the academic year falls on a Wednesday (July 1, 2020), would the next block (4 weeks later) begin on Wednesday, July 29, or can each block begin every fourth Monday after the first block?
A: Programs are not required to provide a specific start and end date for each block in the block diagram. The block diagram is often confused with the resident/fellow rotation schedule. The block diagram is a map of the planned rotations (or other educational experiences) for all residents/fellows in a given post-graduate year. A rotation schedule depicts the actual sequence of rotations (or other educational experiences) for each individual resident/fellow. While the rotation schedules indicate start and end dates for the rotation, specific start and end dates are not required for the block diagram. The Program Directors’ Guide to the Common Program Requirements has further clarification and examples of block diagrams. See:
Residency Program Directors' Guide: pages 82-89
Fellowship Program Directors' Guide: pages 74-79
Resident/Fellow Issues
Q: If a resident has not completed the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 3 examination due to the COVID-19 pandemic-related closure of testing sites, is the resident eligible for promotion to the next year of the educational program?
A: The ACGME has no requirement regarding residents/fellows taking or passing licensure examinations (i.e., USMLE or COMLEX-USA). Furthermore, the ACGME does not specify criteria for the determination of the readiness of a resident/fellow to progress to the next year of the program or to complete the program. Those determinations are made by the program director with input from the Clinical Competency Committee.