Dear GME Community,
Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME
Last Friday 8/18 was GME Professional’s Day and we gathered most of the GME team for an end of season event – it was a great time to be together and strengthen our team, and also to celebrate the UWSOM GME Professionals who support trainees, programs and departments in this crucial part of our mission.
If you haven’t yet seen President Cauce’s blog post regarding the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action in university admissions, it’s posted here: Affirmative action ruling won’t change our values or our mission. A reminder to our programs of the recruitment Town Halls 8/30 and 8/31, which is an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the impact(s) of this decision.
August News and Notes has information about the UWSOM MSPE, LEAD-UP, GME Recruitment Town Halls and lots of other interesting and valuable events.
Thanks,
Cindy
Policies and Processes
- UWSOM has decided to continue to exclude the class rank/quartile ranking and summary word in the MSPE. Please see 8/25 email sent on behalf of Gabriel Sarah and the Office of Academic Affairs for more information.
- As many programs starting recruitment and application reviews, we want to share some reminders about acceptable license examinations.
- Under the GME Licensure Examination Policy, residents and fellows must pass one of the following examinations for licensure:
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
- Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX)
- Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE)
- Each year we receive questions from programs about whether the USMLE is also required for applicants who completed either the MCCQE or COMLEX. The MCCQE is accepted for state licensure. Canadian medical school graduates who have completed the MCCQE do not also require the USMLE (exception for Canadians seeking sponsorship on an H-1B, which requires USMLE Step 3). The COMLEX is required for graduates of osteopathic medical schools. Applicants who have completed the COMLEX do not also require the USMLE.
- Under the GME Licensure Examination Policy, residents and fellows must pass one of the following examinations for licensure:
- The GMEC approved revisions to the following policies at the August meeting. All are posted on the Policies and Procedures page of the GME website.
- Immunization and Health Screening Policy
- Effective July 1, 2023, the GME Meals Policy and SCH Meals Policy have been updated to reflect an increase in meal reimbursement prices.
- Based on feedback from residents and fellows that late and/or conflicting information about grant funding availability and impacts has caused confusion and frustration, the GME Office has developed a new Grant Funding Policy. We welcome your questions.
- The GME Office and GME Wellness are pleased to announce that as of July 1, 2023, the GME Wellness Service will be available to our non-ACGME fellows for those without faculty titles or with an existing counseling relationship. For those non-ACGME fellows with faculty titles (appointed as Acting Instructors), there are a number of support resources available via UWSOM Faculty Affairs. Please direct any questions to GME Director of Wellness, Dipti Chrastka.
- Residents and fellows who wish to moonlight must renew existing outside work activity requests for AY24. 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.
- Individuals who would like to request 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 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.
- The GME Concern Reporting tool is available to any members of the GME community to report concerns about the learning environment.
Program Information
- Welcome New Program Administrators:
- Michelene Nguyen, Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Krista Wintrode, Occupational and Environmental Medicine
- The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
- Hamid Chalian, Thoracic Imaging (Interim)
- Douglas Franzen, Emergency Medicine (Interim)
- Joshua Fischer, Family Medicine Seattle & Family Medicine Chelan
- Margaret Hsu, Pain Medicine
- Sarah Menashe, Pediatric Radiology
- The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication. If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org.
Events of Interest
- GME Lunch & Learns
- GME Recruitment Town Halls: please join us for a GME Town Hall on one of the dates/times below. Registration is required so we can approximate the number of participants and collect your questions in advance. Zoom links for the webinars will be sent to you upon registration.
- Register for August 30 at 7am
- Register for August 31 at 6pm
- Panelists: Dr. Byron Joyner, Vice Dean and DIO, GME; Dr. Suzanne Allen, Vice Dean for Academic, Rural and Regional Affairs; Paula Houston, Chief Equity Officer, and David Kerwin, Division Chief, Office of the Attorney General of Washington.
- GME Outreach Event for trainees at UWMC-ML on August 31 from 11am to 1 pm. Please stop by to say hello, meet our GME team members and take a packed lunch. Look for an email closer to the event with specific room details.
- Annual Life After Residency & Fellowship Seminar on Saturday, September 16: At this event we will share strategies, valuable insights and advice to support your transition into independent practice. Topics include avoiding job search pitfalls, how to negotiate, what to look for before you sign a contact and a panel of physicians from a variety of career tracks. The event will run via Zoom from 9am – 12:00pm. Attendance at this event is mandatory for some programs and others will block time for you to attend. Please check with your PA for details. Please mark your calendar – Register now. The event will be recorded and posted for streaming after the event.
- Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.
Projects and Resources
The GME Office is proud to partner with the Office of Healthcare Equity to sponsor Leadership Education to Advance Diversity among Underrepresented Populations in Medicine (LEAD-UP). Applications are due 9/27. Please see 8/24 email from Dr. Joyner for more information.- The GME Annual Program Timeline: Please review for important dates for August and September.
- UW Medicine Announces Results from Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Survey are available.
- The Macy Foundation is accepting applications for the Catalyst Awards. Six projects will be selected to receive up to $50K each over a 12-month period. Applications are due September 15!
- The GME Office is accepting nominations for the Bruce C. Gilliland Award for Excellence in Teaching of Residents and Fellows. The Gilliland Award is awarded annually to a faculty member who is actively engaged in clinical and didactic training or in the implementation of a graduate medical education curriculum. Candidates should have demonstrated excellence in teaching over time and must have served for at least three years within UW Medicine or an affiliated training site as a teacher of residents and/or fellows. Nominations are due September 8.
- The GME Office has posted an updated letter from Dr. Joyner for prospective residents and fellows to our GME Prospective Residents & Fellows page.
- As of July, UW employees will have access to a new benefit with the Washington State Employee Assistance Program (WA EAP)—a free health and well-being program that is just for Washington state employees. The WA EAP replaces CareLink.
- Based on feedback from our community, in AY23 the GME Office developed Total Compensation sample statements for trainees at the R1 and R4 levels, meant to reflect incoming residents and incoming fellows, respectively. The R1 & R4 Total Compensation sample statements have been updated for AY24. These resources are posted to the GME Prospective Residents and Fellows page under Compensation.
- Residents & Fellows – We want to hear from you! We hope to learn more about your current engagement with the UW GME Community and to understand opportunities for further connection and communication among trainees. Please take a moment to complete this survey and share your ideas about current and future GME education and community engagement events and tools.
- 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 see the recording and slides.
People
- Christopher Blosser, Transplant Nephrology Associate Program Director, is quoted in “Cancer & organ transplant clinic” from WGEM.
- Markus Boos, Dermatology Program Director, is featured in Q&A: Pediatric dermatologist discusses impacts of climate change on patients from the UW Newsroom.
- Kelley Branch, Cardiovascular Disease Associate Program Director, is lead author and Nick Johnson, Critical Care Medicine Associate Program Director, is senior author of “Head-to-Pelvis CT Imaging after Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Current Status and Future Directions” in Resuscitation. Department of Medicine co-author is Peter Kudenchuk. Dr. Branch is also co-author of “Scientific document development standards for the society of cardiovascular computed tomography (SCCT): A statement from the SCCT Guidelines Committee” in the Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.
- Justin Bullock, fellow, Nephrology, is lead author of “‘Yourself in all your forms’: A grounded theory exploration of identity safety in medical students” in Medical Education. He is also co-author of “The Problem and Power of Professionalism: A Critical Analysis of Medical Students’ and Residents’ Perspectives and Experiences of Professionalism” and “From Eggshells to Action: A Qualitative Study of Faculty Experience Responding to Microaggressions Targeting Medical Students” in Academic Medicine.
- In the latest Thrivecast, “Transitioning from Trainee to Faculty,” Hugo Carmona, assistant professor, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, shares learnings and strategies in his own transition from fellow to faculty at UW. Hosted by Trish Kritek, Thrivecast provides tips to help clinicians, educators, and researchers thrive professionally in their careers, covering topics from time management and organization to leadership and self-advocacy.
- Başak Çoruh, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Director, Amy Morris, and James Town were recognized by the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) as 2023 Distinguished CHEST Educators. This designation provides national-level recognition of excellence in continuing medical education through their commitment, involvement, and leadership in CHEST education programs and activities. CHEST is the global leader in advancing best patient outcomes through innovative chest medicine education, clinical research, and team-based care.
- Nicholas Johnson, Critical Care Medicine Associate Program Director, is co-author of “Total and Subgenomic RNA Viral Load in Patients Infected With SARS-CoV-2 Alpha, Delta, and Omicron Variants” in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
- Department of Medicine Chair, Barbara Jung and her husband, Assistant Dean, Gerald Tolbert, have established the Barbara Jung and Gerald Tolbert – AGA Equity Focused Future Leaders Program Scholarship. This scholarship will support four scholarships for the Future Leaders Program for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds that are American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Future Leaders or those that come from institutions that cannot support participation of an emerging leader into the AGA Future Leaders Program. The scholarship will start in 2024 and run for 20 years.
- Barbara Jung, professor and Department of Medicine Chair, wrote “Prior authorization, by any other name, threatens Washingtonians’ health” in The Olympian.
- Vishesh Kapur, Sleep Medicine Program Director, is quoted in “Jet Lag: Get Back in the Rhythm” in the New York Times.
- Natasha Kwendakwema, fellow, Hematology and Oncology, talked to OncLive about the “Effects of Financial Toxicity on Treatment Costs in Patients With Cancer.”
- Earlier this year, Blaine Menon and Kara Fitzgerald, Interventional Radiology Integrated Residents, had the unique opportunity to travel to Tanzania with Road2IR. Blaine participated in the department’s Global Health elective, and Kara joined him for a week as a volunteer. UW Radiology IR Program and Associate Program Directors, Jeff Chick and Matthew Abad-Santos also volunteered with them. Read about their experience in “Radiology Doctors Volunteer For Global Health Experience In Tanzania.”
- Adlai Grayson, Interventional Radiology resident, is featured in In their own words: Radiology physician advances diversity, equity and inclusion goals at conference.
- Hannah Linden, Hematology and Oncology Associate Program Director, discusses “FES PET for ER-Positive Breast Cancer: How Can It Help?” in Medscape. She also joined the Susan Komen Real Pink podcast to discuss “Understanding the Role of Diagnostic Imaging in Breast Care.”
- The Department of Otolaryngology Summer Newsletter features the work of trainees, Program Directors, and other department leaders.
- Shinetra Pryor, Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Medicine Program Administrator, received the inaugural Outstanding Staff Award from the Department of Medicine.
- Lucia Ramirez, Internal Medicine resident, is featured in this story in The Huddle.
- Bonnie Ronish, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Associate Program Director, is featured in “How ‘forever chemicals’ impact your health” from King 5 and in “How PFAS impact your health” in US Times Post. She is also featured in UW pulmonologist provides information on what smoke does to your body from KNDO and “Seattle air quality among worst in world due to wildfire smoke” from KIRO News.
- Dushyant Sahani, Department of Radiology Chair, is a recipient of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Lifetime Honored Educator Award. This achievement recognizes his dedication to furthering the profession by delivering high-quality educational content.
- Namrata Singh, Rheumatology Associate Program Director, is lead author of “Immune-related adverse events after immune check point inhibitors: Understanding the intersection with autoimmunity” in Immunological Reviews and co-author of “Hydroxychloroquine use is associated with reduced mortality risk in older adults with rheumatoid arthritis” in Clinical Rheumatology.
- Joshua Thaler, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition Associate Program Director, is senior author of “Obesity-associated microglial inflammatory activation paradoxically improves glucose tolerance” in Cell Metabolism. Department of Medicine co-authors are Kelly Ness, Mauricio Dorfman, Jeremy Frey and Olivia Santiago. This article was featured as a Research Highlight in Nature Reviews Endocrinology.
- Bessie Young, Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is the 2023 recipient of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Paul Beeson Award. This award is given annually to an activist in the field of health care or health advocacy who has made a substantial contribution to peace, justice, and health in Washington state.
- Forbes ranked UW Medicine No. 14 in the nation in its annual ranking of America’s Best Employers for Women. They highlighted success in promoting women to top leadership positions across the organization and in providing other benefits such as childcare and eldercare services at a reduced cost.
- Congrats to the 17 trainee-led Wellbeing Grant winners! Please visit Well-Being Grants to see the list and descriptions of all funded grants for each entity.