Dear GME Community,
Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME
Like many of you, the GME Office is busy this time of year, onboarding our nearly 500 incoming residents and fellows, planning for orientation, working on graduation certificates and planning for the new academic year. We also celebrate Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Huddle has put together great resources and information.
We are also excited to be launching our new Strategic Plan for AY24-29. We will be presenting this plan to various groups and committees and a recording of the 5/18 Lunch & Learn (starts at 48:30) is available to the community. Thanks to those of you who gave feedback and otherwise contributed!
Please make sure to check News & Notes for reminders of the many processes and deadlines that are relevant this time of year, and don’t hesitate to contact our office with questions or for support.
Thanks,
Cindy
Policies and Processes
- The GMEPAC application for academic year 2024-2025 (AY25) is open and information is posted to the new GMEPAC webpage. Any changes in rotations or expansions that result in an increase in training time at any site requires pre-approval through the GMEPAC process and confirmation of funding by the hospital(s). The GMEPAC process does not include VA FTE. The GMEPAC process was discussed at the April 2023 Lunch & Learn and the presentation slides and recording are available. GMEPAC applications for AY25 are due July 28, 2023. Please reach out to Cindy Hamra or Amanda Easton if you have questions about the process or would like to discuss VA funding.
- It is time for trainees to begin renewing their outside work activity requests for AY24. As a reminder, all requests for outside work must be reapproved each academic year. Please review the GME Outside Work webpage for the Moonlighting and Outside Work Policy and Outside Work Request Forms. Please email Angela James with any questions.
- Programs that have matched or extended an offer to a trainee who requires a disability accommodation, should reach out to the GME Office (Bre Smith) as soon as possible so that we can work with the Disability Services Office to support the program and trainee through the process.
- The AY24 GME Orientation webpage is now live! Incoming trainees have been advised to visit this webpage for detailed information about important UW GME onboarding and orientation information. This page will be updated between now and the start of AY24 appointments, so we encourage trainees and programs to check back frequently for updates. In addition to our main orientation page, we would also like to highlight other pages which will have helpful information for trainees as they complete the onboarding process and prepare for our live orientation event on June 21st from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm PST:
- The COVID-19 public health emergency is ending May 11, 2023. At the beginning of the COVID-19 public health emergency, CMS used emergency waiver authorities and various regulatory authorities to enable flexibilities so providers could rapidly respond to people impacted by COVID-19. Some of those flexibilities have been extended temporarily, some permanently, and some are ending on May 11. Please review resources on the UW Compliance COVID-19 Public Health Emergency page to answer questions you may have about changes impacting clinicians due to the end of the public health emergency.
- Please note the changes to University COVID-19 policies effective June 12th unless otherwise noted.
- The UW Medicine Bias Reporting Tool is for sharing incidents of bias including racism, sexism, ableism, discrimination of any form or other behaviors that do not reflect the prioritization of inclusion and equity expected in all areas of our community. Please feel free to share this flyer and postcard within your programs and workspaces.
- Additionally, the GME Concern Reporting tool is available to any members of the GME community to report concerns about the learning environment.
- Interpreter Services and the Office of Healthcare Equity have created an online guide dedicated to providing resources for accessing medical interpreters, tips for partnering with medical interpreters, reminders about laws and regulations and directions on what to do in emergencies. Please read more about Clear Communication: Every Patient, Every Time.
- The University of Washington continues to require facemasks in healthcare and clinical facilities after the statewide healthcare mask order from the Washington State Secretary of Health ends on April 3, 2023. This decision is in alignment with UW Medicine’s medical facilities, our public health partners and other local health systems.
Program Information
- The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
- Andrew Koth, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship (ACGME)
- Judith Hagedorn, Urology residency (ACGME)
- In response to recent concerns about known precedent of unprofessional behaviors, the GME Office has modified the Program Director Change/Appointment Request Letter Template to include the following language:
- Acknowledging that a program director must be a role model of professionalism (ACGME CPR II.A.4.a), I personally attest that I have not been made aware of prior or current concerns regarding Dr. <<Last Name>> ‘s professional or ethical behaviors toward trainees, faculty, staff, or patients.
- The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication. If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org.
Events of Interest
- Please mark your calendars for the Annual GME AY24 Event Calendar. As always, the GME Website remains the best way to get the most up-to-date information. Check out the PD & PA, and Resident & Fellow pages for info on upcoming and past events including resources and recordings (if applicable). Email reminders, Zoom links and registration information (if required) will be sent via email as individual events approach. Please note that attendance at the bi-annual Program Director Development Series (PDDS) is a requirement for all ACGME programs.
- Upcoming GME Lunch & Learns
- May 18: Final Evaluations & Training Verifications + GME Strategic Plan; recording and ‘Final Evaluations & Training Verifications’ slides and ‘GME Strategic Plan’ slides now available
- No June 2023 lunch and learn
- AY24 Lunch and Learn schedule now posted
- Residents and fellows are invited to join the School of Medicine strategic planning listening session on Wednesday, May 24th from 5.30 – 6.30pm.
- Our final Chief Resident and Fellow Listening Session for the academic year will be held on Thursday, June 1st from 5:00 – 6:00 pm. Chiefs will have received an email with session details from the GME Office and we ask that program leadership support Chiefs in attending.
- Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.
Projects and Resources
The GME Annual Program Timeline: Please review for important dates for May and June.- Residents and fellows are eligible to apply for a Housestaff Emergency Loan through the GME Office. The purpose of the loan fund is to provide emergency financial assistance to residents and fellows. The total amount of this loan has been increased from $1000 to $2500. Please see the loan form for complete details. As a reminder, our GME Financial Management for Residents & Fellows webpage is a great resource for trainees who would like to learn more about their finances and options as they prepare for graduation and a high-paying career.
- Trainees are encouraged to subscribe to UW Medicine STAT|INFO ADVISORY which has been designed to disseminate official information via text message to keep the UW Medicine workforce informed during emergencies and situations that might disrupt normal operations.
- A new opt-in module, Prioritizing Ourselves When Fatigued is a 5 minute training intended as a brief reminder on the important issue of fatigue. Learning Gateway is happy to answer any questions about the module.
- Our new Leave of Absence webpage is now live on the GME website. Here you will find LOA planning information and resources along with an intake form to contact GME for leave planning assistance: Leave Planning Submission Form. This form can be completed by trainees or program leadership. The December 2022 Lunch & Learn on ‘Leave Policy and Guidelines’ provides an overview of both these new resources; please the recording and slides.
People
- EDItorial: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: The EDItorial is a monthly Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Awareness Newsletter created by the Internal Medicine (IM) residency program staff. Each month they highlight different marginalized groups with opportunities to engage, support, and participate on international, national, and local levels. The May newsletter highlights Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Read the EDItorial on the IM residency website.
- Emergency Medicine residents are featured in UW Law Students ‘Depose’ UW Emergency Medicine Residents.
- Atrial fibrillation, “AFib”, is the most common heart arrhythmia in adults and is projected to affect 12 million U.S. residents by 2030. About 70% of people with atrial fibrillation are 65 to 85, a population demographic projected to grow over the next few decades. Nazem Akoum, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Program Director, specializes in ablation. Read the full story from UW Medicine Newsroom.
- Nazem Akoum, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Program Director, is quoted in “New Risk Factors, Better Treatments for AFib: What to Know” from WebMD.
- Dermatology residents Mariam Alam and Caitlin Crimp are organizing patient panels as part of their collaborative research project, “Mitigating Bias and Burnout Through Patient-Centered Narrative Medicine.” In June 2022, they received a grant through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Back to Bedside program to develop a narrative medicine curriculum for dermatology residents, with the goal to improve residents’ understanding and connection to patients and mitigate both bias and burnout. Narrative Medicine is an emerging approach to health care that draws on the study of art and literature to enhance listening and observation skills. Read the full story on the Dermatology website.
- Katherine Bennett, Geriatric Medicine Program Director, has been elected Chair of the Fellowship Director’s Group for the American Geriatrics Society/Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs. She will serve a three-year term, chair the Fellowship Director’s Preconference and represent the fellowship program director’s at society board meetings.
- She is also a co-author on Looking back, moving forward: A practical guide to implementing the updated ACGME geriatric medicine Milestones 2.0 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
- Kelley Branch, Cardiovascular Disease Associate Program Director, is lead author of “Diagnostic yield, safety, and outcomes of head-to-pelvis sudden death CT imaging in post arrest care: The CT FIRST cohort study” in Resuscitation. Department of Medicine co-authors are Peter Kudenchuk, Jeff Probstfield, David Carlbom, and Nicholas Johnson.
- Justin Bullock, fellow, Nephrology, is co-author of “My Assessments Are Biased!” Measurement and Sociocultural Approaches to Achieve Fairness in Assessment in Medical Education” in Academic Medicine.
- Anna Condella, fellow, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, is lead author of “Veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for COVID-19: A Call For System-Wide Checks to Ensure Equitable Delivery For All” in ASAIO Journal.
- Kirk Deene, Associate Program Director, Neuropathology, is quoted in “Tracking King County seniors (and their brains) for clues to dementia and Alzheimer’s” in The Seattle Times.
- Jonathan Harper, Endourology Program Director, is featured in Kidney stone breakthrough procedure at UW called ‘game changer’ for patients from KOMO.
- Lianne Hirano, Palliative Medicine Program Director, is quoted in “’A different animal’: Doctors warn seniors about potency of cannabis products” from KOMO News.
- Christine Johnston, Infectious Diseases Associate Program Director, is quoted in “Tired of ‘dead end’ approach, herpes patients mobilize to demand government action” in STAT.
- Aditya Joshi, fellow, Cardiology, is co-author of “The Relationship between Circulating Apolipoprotein A-1 and Atherosclerosis Initiation and Progression in Psoriasis” in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
- Hiba Khan, Noam Kopmar, Chipo Kwendakwema, and Emily Liang, Hematology-Oncology fellows, have received merit awards from the American Society of Cancer Organization (ASCO). Merit Awards support students and trainees who are first authors on abstracts selected for presentation at the ASCO Annual Meeting.
- Hiba Khan, fellow, Hematology-Oncology, is lead author and Veena Shankaran, professor (Medical Oncology) is senior author of “Financial Toxicity in Cancer Care: Implications for Clinical Care and Potential Practice Solutions” in Journal of Clinical Oncology. Department of Medicine co-author is Scott Ramsey.
- Amy Law, Instructional Designer on the GME Team, presented a workshop called “Using Empathy Maps to Investigate Complex Problems” at the AAMC Western Group Collaborative Spring Conference in April. The workshop focused on using a design thinking tool to investigate the variety of stakeholder perspectives and needs related to complex problems like mistreatment in medical education. Amy co-presented with Ceradwen Tokheim from SOMALT.
- Joseph Merrill, Addiction Medicine Program Director, is featured in Is moderate drinking good for your health? from KING 5 News. He is also quoted in “‘They saved my life’: Everett man credits Harborview addiction program with helping him get sober” from KIRO News.
- Chinenyenwa Mpamaugo, resident, Pediatrics, is featured in Tips to keep your kids safe on the water with warmer weather from KXLY.
- Chloe Peters, resident, Urology, is the resident recipient of the Dr. Reem Ghalib Award for Promotion of Gender Equity. The award, named in honor of Dr. Reem Ghalib, a renowned advocate for women in medicine, was established in 2020 by Dr. Ghalib’s colleagues to recognize her dedication to improving the pathway for women medical trainees. “Dr. Peters is an outstanding early-career urologist who has made significant contributions to the field, and we are excited to see her present her research at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association. Urology is traditionally a male-dominated medical specialty and we are proud to support her important work,” said the award committee.
- Paul Pottinger, Infectious Disease Program Director, is quoted in “Can COVID-19 Cause Itchy Eyes or Pink Eye?” from Everyday Health.
- Sarah Prager, Complex Family Planning Program Director, is quoted in “Abortion pill legal challenge threatens miscarriage care” from the Associated Press.
- Shinetra Pryor, Program Administrator for Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Medicine, was invited to present on best practices for recruitment at the Fellowship Director’s Preconference at the American Geriatrics Society Meeting.
- Coralynn Sack, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Associate Program Director, is co-author of “Association between any underlying health condition and COVID-19-associated hospitalization by age group, Washington State, 2020-2021: a retrospective cohort study” in BMC Infectious Diseases. She is also quoted in “Exploitation, Abuse, and Death: The Dark Side of Working in the Weed Industry” in The Nation.
- Matthew Thau, former fellow, is lead author and Eric Morrell, assistant professor (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) is senior author of “Association of Trauma Molecular Endotypes With Differential Response to Transfusion Resuscitation Strategies” in JAMA Surgery. Department of Medicine co-authors are Ted Liu, Neha Sathe, W. Conrad Liles, Ian Stanaway, Carmen Mikacenic, Mark Wurfel, and Pavan Bhatraju.
- Matthew Thau, former fellow, is lead author and Pavan Bhatraju, assistant professor (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) is senior author of “Following the MAP for Improved Kidney Function in Hepatorenal Syndrome” in Kidney 360.
- Mitchell Vollger, fellow, Medical Genetics, is lead author of “Increased mutation and gene conversion within human segmental duplications” and co-author of “A draft human pangenome reference” in Nature. Learn more in “UW Medicine plays key role in NIH pangenome studies” from UW Medicine Newsroom.
- Lisa Vande Vusse, Internal Medicine Associate Program Director, wrote “White Hair Ritual” in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.