Residency

Tip of the week: Develop a site visit preparation timeline

Residency Program Connection, April 13, 2010

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When program directors and coordinators receive the notification letter from the ACGME informing you of the date of the site visit, create a timeline of all that you need to accomplish before the site visit.

Working backwards, set dates for:

  • The site visit (you have that date on your letter; confirm it is the same date the DIO has on his/her database)
  • The final briefing of all site visit participants
  • Final prep work on program documentation
  • Mailing the finished program information forms (PIF)
  • Communicating with the site visitor
  • Completing each major section of the PIF
  • Collecting both PIF and site visit documents
  • Arranging for a mock site visit
  • Finalizing the schedule of events


Additional steps for preparing for the site visit include:

  • Identifying who needs to be notified about the impending site visit and notify those key players
  • Organizing a resident and faculty meeting to review RC requirements, as well as the results of the last site visit and internal review
  • Meeting with residents and faculty to discuss their involvement in the site visit
  • Delegating staffers who will complete portions of the PIF and set deadlines for submitting delegated sections (some program directors prefer to write everything themselves; but most outsource some elements, and heavily edit what is returned for consistency)


This week’s tip is from Insider’s Guide to the ACGME Site Visit, Second Edition by Kathryn Andolsek, MD, MPH and Shepard Cohen.
 



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