ACGME Guidance Statements
Review guidance from the ACGME on accreditation priorities; resident, fellow, faculty member, and patient safety; conduct of GME; and more. These are updated as they are developed.
The ACGME partnered with the certifying Boards to develop recommendations grounded in core competency-based medical education principles for programs, program directors, and Clinical Competency Committees to use when assessing residents and fellows while facing COVID-19.
The ACGME is issuing supplemental guidance regarding how a Sponsoring Institution’s days in Emergency Category status will be counted; protection of resident, fellow, and faculty member health and safety; and competency-based assessment of residents and fellows.
ACGME Announces Policy to Enforce Compliance with COVID-19 Prevailing Requirements
(May 11, 2020)
The ACGME has updated its Procedures for Alleged Egregious Events to address how the organization will rapidly respond to alleged non-compliance with the four prevailing COVID-19 priority requirements. The new section outlines the process for invoking the policy and subsequent investigation of alleged egregious events related to COVID-19 and includes an added means of identifying institutions or programs by way of a public sanction.
ACGME Statement on Furloughs Resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency
(April 9, 2020)
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption to the health care delivery system, some participating sites have furloughed some or all of their employees. Furloughs of residents/fellows are unacceptable to the ACGME.
ACGME Statement on the Shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
(April 5, 2020)
The ACGME holds it is the moral responsibility of institutions and society to ensure that adequate PPE is available to all in the clinical care and learning environment. The ACGME updated this statement to include a access to resources on PPE optimization. The ACGME is not endorsing the use of any specific resources.
ACGME Reaffirms its Four Ongoing Requirement Priorities during COVID-19 Pandemic (April 5, 2020)
The ACGME has granted a significant degree of flexibility to accredited Sponsoring Institutions and programs to realign their resident and fellow workforce to meet the increased clinical demands created by the pandemic. However, the ACGME expects strict compliance with requirements addressing work hours, adequate resources and training, adequate supervision, and how fellows function in their core (primary) specialty.
The ACGME does not recommend the early graduation of medical students except in exigent circumstances. This statement clarifies the circumstances under which early graduates may participate as residents or other health-related workers.
The ACGME Common Program Requirements and COVID-19 (March 27, 2020)
The ACGME underscores the importance of all Sponsoring Institutions and programs adhering to the clinical and educational work hours requirements outlined in the Common Program Requirements Section VI.F.
Resident/Fellow Education and Training (March 13, 2020)
This early guidance statement outlined the ACGME’s expectations of institutions and programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the publication of this article, the ACGME has created this section of the website, which has the most up-to-date information on ACGME activities during this time.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and ACGME Site Visits, Educational Activities, and Other Meetings
In response to the impact of COVID-19, the ACGME is adjusting the scheduling and conduct of its accreditation and recognition site visits, Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) Program visits, and meetings and educational activities sponsored or facilitated by the ACGME.