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Residency Program Connection

Residency Program Connection is devoted to bringing residency directors and coordinators expert advice, best practice strategies, and news you can use every other week to make your job just that much easier.

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Residency Program Connection

Issue 36, December 30, 2008

• Ask the expert: What should our resident handbook include?

  Although many residency program managers are still making their way through interview season...

• Tip of the week: Brief residents before an ACGME site visit

  Although the ACGME discourages preparation of residents for a site visit, you may brief them before...

• Addressing leaves of absence in resident contracts

  Among several other terms and conditions of employment, the resident contract must cover leaves of...

• Feature blog post: What to do if residents do not report their scholarly activities?

  The ACGME requires programs to have evidence of residents’ scholarly activities and research.

Issue 35, December 30, 2008

• Seeking speakers for 4th Annual Residency Program Management Workshop

  We are currently seeking program coordinators, program directors, and GME professionals to speak at...

• House staff service produces same outcomes as hospitalist service, according to study

  New research indicates that services covered by hospitalists and physicians can be just as...

• Feature blog post: What do we do with the IOM recommendations?

  It’s the giving time of year, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has not disappointed. The...

Issue 34, December 16, 2008

• Tip of the week: Implement resident-driven quality improvement projects

  The common program information form (PIF) asks for an example quality activity or project that at...

• Ask the expert: What is the easiest way to get hospital and patient data for the PIF?

  Every PIF has a section for hospital and patient data, including: Number of beds...

• Feature blog post: Prevent faculty from missing candidate interviews

  It happens to every coordinator at least once: A faculty member forgets he or she is supposed to...

• 'Tis the season to make a to-do list

  This is a busy time of the year with the recruitment season upon all of us. It is hard to even...

Issue 33, December 9, 2008

• Institute of Medicine releases suggested changes to duty hour standards

  Last week, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report calling for several changes to the...

• ACGME announces Office of Resident Services

  The ACGME created a new Office of Resident Services, which provides residents, fellows, and faculty...

• Featured blog post: More educational opportunities for residency program coordinators

  As the requirements for training programs continue to evolve, one thing remains constant: the need...

Issue 32, December 2, 2008

• Tip of the week: Prepare new program directors for ACGME site visits

  If you do not already, ask new program directors to complete the program information form (PIF) as...

• Focus on previous citations, concerns, and comments during site visit preparation

  When preparing for a site visit, first focus on the review committee’s (RC) previous...

• Ask the expert: How can we teach professionalism in our program?

  Although professionalism is difficult to define, residency programs should teach residents the...

• Feature blog post: Encourage consistent and accurate reporting by faculty on evaluations

  The October and November issues of Residency Program Alert included articles explaining what...

Issue 31, November 25, 2008

• Recommendation letters don't evaluate competency, new study says

  Residency program managers are in the thick of the interview season. Selection committees are...

• Feature blog post: Liven up your didactic lectures with audience response systems

  I recently caught up with a friend of mine who is a resident in New York City. While we chatted, he...

Issue 30, November 18, 2008

• Field-tested interview season process

  This will be my third interview season. Each year, I learn a few new things from my colleagues on...

• Tip of the week: Help residents manage debt

  Between the country’s financial crisis and the possibility of a recession, your graduating...

• Ask the expert: Where can I find information about common citations before a site visit?

  It’s important that residency program managers know what areas the ACGME cites most often...

• Feature blog post: Blind interview technique explained

  A question about interviewing on Residency Coordinator Chat listserv prompted me to write a bit...

Issue 29, November 11, 2008

• Feature blog post: Money saving strategies in a tough economy

  You can’t turn on the TV or open a newspaper without seeing a story about the economic crisis.

• Submit Halloween pictures for ResidencyManager.com

  Share photos of your best tricks and treats on ResidencyManager.com.

Issue 28, November 4, 2008

• The applicant interview: A two-way street

  It’s interview season—again. This time of year seems to roll around quickly, especially...

• Ask the expert: What constitutes faculty scholarship as required by the ACGME?

  The ACGME Common Program Requirements state that faculty must contribute to the education...

• Tip of the week: It takes a team to prepare a PIF

  About a year before your site visit, gather the necessary stakeholders for a focused meeting...

• Submit Halloween pictures for ResidencyManager.com

  Share photos of your best tricks and treats on ResidencyManager.com.

• Feature blog post: Streamline your administrative structure

  Our clerkship coordinator just returned home from last week’s AAIM meetings in Florida...

Issue 27, October 28, 2008

• Feature blog post: Screen out the bad apples during residency program interviews

  As interviewees start parading through your office, there’s no question that most are on...

• Submit Halloween pictures for ResidencyManager.com

  Share your best tricks and treats on ResidencyManager.com.

Issue 26, October 21, 2008

• From the GME office: Tips for building a relationship with your GME office

  In some institutions, there is a feeling of animosity between the GME office staff and residency...

• Ask the expert: What aspects of the curriculum should we examine during our annual program review?

  You should analyze the following three curriculum components:

• Tip of the month: Establish a timeline for site visit preparation

  Focus on developing a timeline of all that you need to accomplish between the date on which you...

• Feature blog post: Lessons learned from an ACGME site visit

  We just had our site visit last week.  I am sure you can all relate to that relieved feeling...

Issue 25, October 14, 2008

• Talking about medical errors

  Although owning up to a mistake can be difficult, most faculty members and residents do discuss...

• Feature blog post: Preventing suicide and promoting wellness

  Last year, one of our former residents committed suicide.  Once the shock, sadness, and...

Issue 24, October 7, 2008

• Tip of the week: Thank candidates for interviewing with your program

  After a candidate interviews with your program, send a note from the program director to the...

• Ask the expert: How do I find the time to complete the PIF?

  The program director and coordinator should carve out protected time to work on the PIF. This...

• Instructions for composing a progress report for the ACGME

  If your RRC asks you to write a progress report with corrections to citations issued from your...

• Feature blog post: Support for residents' spouses

  I spoke at a coordinator retreat at the University of Connecticut a couple weeks ago and got into a...

Issue 23, September 30, 2008

• Feature blog post: Bring your residents together no matter where they are

  Our residents rotate through six hospitals during the course of a year. They only come together...

• Feature blog post: Bring your residents together no matter where they are

  Our residents rotate through six hospitals during the course of a year. They only come together...

• ACGME implements new process for Resident Surveys and duty hour violations

  The ACGME last week released a special announcement that outlines standardized processes for...

Issue 22, September 23, 2008

• Coordinator meetings lead to change

  Chances are you’ve heard the saying “The only thing that is constant is change.&rdquo...

• Feature blog post: Resident retreats. . . what a treat!

  I think most programs do an annual “get together” of some sort.  We have two days...

• Tip of the week: Create a comprehensive internal review cover letter

  During site visits, the ACGME confirms if the institution carried out an adequate and timely...

• Ask the expert: What is the best way to handle patient evaluations of residents?

  It is oftentimes most efficient to administer a patient survey in the outpatient setting.

Issue 21, September 16, 2008

• Feature blog post: Use resident presentations to teach interpesonal communication and professionalism

  Feature blog post: Read the latest post from Ruth Nawotniak on ResidencyManager.com 

• News in brief: As on-call workload increases, so do negative effects on interns

  A study in the September 10 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), looks at...

Issue 20, September 9, 2008

• Ask the expert: What should we include in our internal review reports?

  To complete a thorough internal review report, include the following information:

• Tip of the week: Resources for PIF preparation

  One of the most effective resources in completing the program information form (PIF) is your...

• Connect coordinators with mentoring programs

  At Children’s Medical Center (Children’s) in Dallas, our residency program coordinators...

• Feature blog post: Enable or empower your residents

  In an effort to increase compliance in all areas of programs, the coordinators page the residents...

Issue 19, August 29, 2008

• Letter from the editor

  Dear Residency Program Connection Subscribers,   The residency editors at HCPro are...

• Feature blog post: Quick tips for site visit and PIF success

  Preparation for the site visit and program information form (PIF) is no easy task. With so much to...

• News in brief: Medical students go green

  It’s no secret that green is the new black. Many facilities use receptacles for recycling...

Issue 18, August 26, 2008

• Tip of the week: Give site visitors a warm welcome

  As site visitors travel from institution to institution, they meet numerous GME professionals.

• Ask the expert: How can program directors motivate faculty to be better teachers?

  Faculty members who do not have a strong, intrinsic motivation to teach medicine can be a challenge...

• Book Excerpt: The Program Information Form Made Simple: A Guide to Completing the ACGME PIF

  The following is an adapted excerpt from The Program Information Form Made Simple: A Guide to...

• Feature blog post: Goodbye down time. Hello organization

  I used to think about the summer as “down time” in my job. I used the extra time to...

Issue 17, August 12, 2008

• Questions to ask for better residency program outcomes

  It’s the start of August. In the GME universe, that means the graduates have left. The new...

• Tip of the week: Include lines of communication in goals and objectives

  The ACGME’s Common Program Requirements state that residency program managers must create...

• Ask the expert: Who should I collect data from when completing the continuity-of-care portion of the PIF?

  Your continuity clinic director should have most, if not all, of the answers you’re looking...

• Feature blog post: Transfers: Sink or swim?

  While we don’t get many transfers here, we do get one or two a year. The timing of their...

Issue 16, July 15, 2008

• Ask the Expert: What are the duty hour standards for residents?

  Keeping your residents’ within duty hour limits is hard work. Not doing so can lead to ACGME...

• Letter from the editor

  Dear Residency Program Connection Readers, As you’ve probably noticed, we’ve given...

• Tip of the week: Don't rely on the resident program manual

  During resident orientation, the ACGME requires that residents receive the program policy manual...

• Feature blog post: Sleepy resident

  Editor’s note: Every issue, Residency Program Connection will feature an excerpt from HCPro...

• Ask the expert: What documents are typically included in a resident's application form?

  The standard components of a resident application are the following:

Issue 15, July 15, 2008

• Tip of the week: Improve communication between the GMEC and program directors

  How good is the communication between the graduate medical education committee (GMEC) and program...

• The results are in: 2008 Residency Coordinator Salary Survey

  In the July issue of HCPro’s monthly newsletter, Residency Program Alert, we reported our...

Issue 14, July 1, 2008

• Ask the expert: How can I improve resident safety?

  The ACGME Institutional Requirements state that institutions must provide a safe environment for...

• Tip of the week: 360 degrees of evaluation

  A 360-degree evaluation is an effective way to evaluate your staff and residents accurately. Your...

• Resident orientation made easy

  A comprehensive, well-planned, and well-organized roeitnation for incoming house staff is...

Issue 13, June 17, 2008

• Ask the expert: What will my program's internal review entail?

  A committee of program directors, administrators, and residents will have the responsibility of...

• Tip of the week: Discover your faculty's weaknesses and strengths

  Not every faculty member will excel at all aspects of their job. Many will be exceptional in their...

• Performance improvement? I thought we were perfect!

  No program is perfect— there’s always room for improvement. That may be why the...

• Third Annual Residency Program Management Workshop, September 25-26, The Hyatt, Chicago

  During this intensive two-day program, you will learn successful strategies and techniques for...

Issue 12, June 3, 2008

• Ask the expert: How can I meet my residents' duty hour limitations?

  In order to comply with work hour requirements and avoid resident fatigue, take the following...

• Tip of the week: Get your new residents off to a strong start

  Orientation is an important and invaluable time for both you and your residents. Most institutions...

• Third Annual Residency Program Management Workshop, September 25-26, The Hyatt, Chicago

  During this intensive two-day program, you will learn successful strategies and techniques for...

• The importance of understanding curriculum

  We are all aware of the major changes in accreditation that have taken place over the past eight...

Issue 11, May 20, 2008

• Ask the expert: What evaluation tools can I use to assess residents' performance in the professionalism competency?

  Use the following tools to evaluate professionalism:

• Tip of the week: Educate residents and faculty about fatigue

  ACGME requirements mandate that you educate residents and faculty on how to recognize fatigue. In...

• Revising your residency program's goals and objectives

  There comes a time in each residency program when the residency program leadership must revise the...

• Third Annual Residency Program Management Workshop, September 25-26, The Hyatt, Chicago

  During this intensive two-day program, you will learn successful strategies and techniques for...

Issue 10, May 5, 2008

• Tips for building a resident schedule calendar

  Planning a resident rotation schedule can be a daunting task, but a few tips can help ease the...

• Ask the expert: What should a resident contract contain?

  Like any other legal document, a resident contract is imperative to protect the rights of the...

• Tip of the week: Separate disciplinary issues from academic probation

  Administrators can judge resident performance based on different factors. When performance is...

• Third Annual Residency Program Management Workshop, September 25-26, The Hyatt, Chicago

  During this intensive two-day program, you will learn successful strategies and techniques for...

Issue 9, April 22, 2008

• Tip of the week: Use journal club to evaluate residents' evidence-based skills

  Journal club is an excellent opportunity to evaluate your residents’ evidence-based...

• Ask the expert: What documents should I have ready for an ACGME site visit?

  The site visitor will most likely want to review the following items:

• Residency orientation: Friend or foe?

  Imagine the first day of orientation; you know the scene. It’s early. The coffee is hot, the...

• Third Annual Residency Program Management Workshop, September 25-26, The Hyatt, Chicago

  During this intensive two-day program, you will learn successful strategies and techniques for...

Issue 8, April 8, 2008

• Tip of the week: Managing a full resident folder

  Whether you're getting ready for a site visit or the twice-yearly performance reviews required by...

• Ask the expert: What should I put in my residents' folder?

  You should include the following in your residents' folder:

• Role of the residency program coordinator

  The residency coordinator plays a pivotal role in the management of the residency program. Since...

Issue 7, March 25, 2008

• The Match is over, now what?

  The residency coordinator plays a huge role in successfully transitioning the former medical...

• Tip of the week: Review common citations when preparing for a site visit

  The ACGME's Web site lists the common citations programs receive after a site visit. To search...

• Ask the expert: What should my resident promotion criteria include?

  As part of your summative evaluation assessment, outline what it takes for a resident to be...

• HCPro, Inc. launches new logo and tagline as part of its new corporate branding initiative

  HCPro, Inc. is launching a new corporate branding campaign designed to reflect the company's focus...

Issue 6, March 11, 2008

• International medical graduates and U.S. GME training programs

  In today's world, obtaining a visa for GME training in the United States isn't as easy as it once...

• Tip of the week: Keep your program letters of agreements up to date

  The ACGME requires every residency program to have a program letter of agreement (PLA) with its...

• Ask the expert: What should a policy on reporting entail?

  A policy for reporting misconduct in the education and work environment should describe:

Issue 5, February 25, 2008

• Residency romances: Sound policies can ward off problems

  With Valentine's Day earlier this month, it is no secret that love is in the air this time of year...

• Tip of the week: Use the GME office to complete the program information form

  The program information form (PIF) is the crux of an ACGME site visit. The program director--often...

• Ask the expert: How can I ensure residents are meeting the systems-based practice and professionalism competencies?

  A great way to give residents interesting educational opportunities in the systems-based practice...

Issue 4, February 12, 2008

• Tip of the week: Review your program's goals and objectives

  Most residency programs review their goals and objectives once a year during their annual program...

• Ask the expert: Who should we interview during an internal review?

  Interview the following people during an internal review: Program director Key faculty...

• Handling resident contract nonrenewals

  Nonrenewal of a resident's contract can have a significant impact on the resident's future career...

Issue 3, January 28, 2008

• Prepare for interview season

  January is one of the busiest interview months for residency program directors, coordinators, and...

• Tip of the week: Help residents manage debt

  Medical student debt is often an unavoidable problem for residents. An Association of American...

• Ask the expert: What should I include in my resident handbook?

  Consider including the following documents in your resident handbook:

Issue 1, October 28, 2008

• New ACGME requirements: Is your program affected?

  The ACGME announced the approval of several new program requirements in an Oct. 13 news release.

• ACGME releases statement on the Fifth Pathway Program

  The ACGME released a statement regarding the Fifth Pathway Program last Wednesday. In the...

Issue 23, January 15, 2008

• Prepare for interview season

  January is one of the busiest interview months for residency program directors, coordinators, and...

• Tip of the week: System changes can help your program meet duty-hour requirements

  It is no secret that meeting resident work-hour requirements is difficult for many programs, but...

• Ask the expert: How can I prepare residents for a site visitor interview?

  Here are a few things you can do to help a resident prepare for the interview:

Issue 22, January 8, 2008

• Preparing for the interview season

  January is one of the busiest interview months for resident program directors, coordinators, and...

• Tip of the week: Meet the ACGME requirements for resident scholarly activities

  The ACGME's common program requirements state that residents must take part in scholarly...

• Ask the expert: What evaluations may I include in my 360-degree evaluation series?

  A 360-degree evaluation may include: Faculty evaluating the resident Resident evaluating the...

Issue 29, November 11, 2008

• News from the AAMC: Principles for reforming healthcare

  The call for health care reform is loud and clear. According to the Association of American Medical...