GME News & Notes: May

May 24, 2024 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra Headshot

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

It’s time to share May’s GME News & Notes.  First, as we approach the Memorial Day weekend, I want to express our gratitude to the members of our GME community who have served.  May is also Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Huddle’s ANHPI Heritage Month page contains digital assets and learning resources.

In addition to the multiple events, resources and other items below, a few additional celebrations:

Envisioning a Better Future for Residents and Fellows: Dr. Joyner has created the Vision Fund in Graduate Medical Education to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in our residency and fellowship programs.

Forbes Recognizes UW Medicine as a Best Employer for Diversity: UW Medicine is proud to be among the 41 hospitals and health systems listed by Forbes for prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion.

It’s a busy time of year for everyone, and I want to take the time to call out the fantastic GME Team, which always inspires me with their tireless commitment to and work on behalf of our trainees and programs.

Feel free to share anything you’d like to see in future News & Notes.

Thanks,

Cindy

Celebrating Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Policies and Processes

  • GME Float Administrator: The GME Office is currently hiring for a second Float Administrator (Req #233223). If you have any questions about the position, please feel free to contact Gabrielle Pett (nathangl@uw.edu).
  • The GMEC approved revisions to the following policies at the May meeting. All are posted on the Policies and Procedures page of the GME website.

Program Information

  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee confirmation:
    • Alissa Darden, Pediatrics and Pediatric Medical Genetics and Genomics
    • Sarah Greenberger, Emergency Medicine
    • Borah Hong, Pediatric Cardiology
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • May 16: Final Evaluations + Training Verifications; Moonlighting Update; Workplace Safety – recording and slides now available
    • June L&L: cancelled
    • AY25 Lunch & Learn schedule is posted to the GME website
  • The fourth session of our Cultivating Skills in Feedback and Critical Conversations Education Series is Tuesday May 28 from 11:30am to 1:00pm (Zoom). The topic is: Eval-Palooza: Optimizing Your Evaluation System for Effective Outcomes. Program directors, associate program directors, program administrators and faculty are welcome. For planning purposes, please RSVP. Please reach out to Amanda Easton if you have questions.
  • We are excited to announce a comprehensive Four-Part Leadership Lecture Series designed specifically for residents and fellows! Each month, we will delve into crucial areas that shape effective leadership in the medical profession, presented by experts in the field. Mark your calendars and join us! Please see the January 18 email from Jennifer Best for more information.
  • Program Directors and Program Administrators are invited to join a Thalamus Demo on Tuesday, July 9 from noon-1pm. A calendar invite has separately been sent to programs via email from Gabrielle Pett.
  • The recording and slides from the May 14 Program Administrator Meeting “ACGME Annual Educational Conference Recap” presentations are now posted. The July Program Administrator has been cancelled as the Thalamus meeting noted above will take place same day.
  • We’re pleased to invite training programs to enroll in the 2024-2025 GME Quality and Safety Foundations Course. Developed by the UW Center for Scholarship in Patient Care Quality and Safety, this course provides high-quality, efficient instruction in Quality Improvement (QI) and Patient Safety (PS) for residents and fellows. Through two interactive 5-hour sessions, it equips trainees with the skills to improve quality and engage with safety systems at UW and Seattle Children’s, helping programs meet crucial ACGME common program requirements. Detailed information on fees and the curriculum is available on the GME Quality and Safety Foundations Course Website. Enrollment is at the program level, based on total program size.  We’re excited to share that the Dean’s office and GME have provided substantial funding to reduce course costs. In the 2024-2025 academic year, the course will host seminars six times per year, including four sessions at South Campus Center (Room 316) and two at Seattle Children’s Sand Point Learning Center (Auditorium).
  • As a reminder, PDDS is now EDGE! In an effort to enhance inclusivity and because we welcome individuals other than program directors to our events, we are rebranding PDDS as Educator Development for GME Excellence (EDGE). Please keep an eye out for new messaging and program description. SAVE THE DATES! AY25 Fall EDGE will be held on September 19th and October 22nd, 2024. NOTE: Each of these dates will feature distinct content.
  • Thank you again to those who attended the Scheduling Workshop Series! A lot of content was covered, and we appreciate your attendance and engagement. If you haven’t already shared, we would welcome your feedback on the series and/or thoughts for future training in this short, anonymous survey. Each of the workshop recordings are now available on the GME MedHub site under “Scheduling Resources” along with other helpful resources below:
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelinePlease review the GME Annual Program Timeline for important dates for the months of May and June.
  • The UW GME Office has updated our Recruitment Resources for 2024-2025. There are no substantive changes regarding interview formats from last academic year.
  • The GME Office would like to update our collection of trainee photos for use on our website, promotional materials, and articles for The Huddle/other in-house publications. We would very much appreciate programs submitting photos of trainees engaged in training, wellness, learning, or volunteering activities.  Please use our GME Photos Request form to upload any available photos. Please note that for compliance purposes there must be a photo waiver on file for any individual in the photo.
  • Learn about UW Medicine initiatives that support gender-diverse staff and patient: Fostering Belonging in Gender Diverse People
  • The 2024-2025 SCH QI Scholars Program Request for Applications (RFA) has been released. Applications are due on June 28, 2024. The Quality Improvement (QI) Scholars Program is a year-long training program designed to support physicians and quality leaders seeking advanced training in QI methods. Please read more online at: How to Apply | Seattle Children’s (seattlechildrens.org). Please contact Dr. Lori Rutman, Program Director, with questions rutman@seattlechildrens.org
  • The recent post ‘Inside UW Alert and UW Advisory messages’ features helpful information and a deeper dive into both safety resources.
  • In February, UW GME launched the new UW GME WhatsApp group exclusively for residents and fellows. Since its launch, we’ve welcomed over 70+ trainees to the community, and we have Expanded our Opportunities to include interest groups like “GME Parents” and “Quick Meals on the go!” Additionally, some other WhatsApp groups, such as “UW IMG Residents & Fellows” and “UW Surgery,” have linked up with the UW GME community, further enhancing connectivity and collaboration.
  • The GME Office has put together a resource regarding information about legal matters for trainees. This document was created with input from Risk Management and Claims Services and is designed to be used by both trainees and programs. The resource is posted to the GME Website and can be found on the Current Residents and Fellows page under UW Resources.
  • Physicians Anonymous is a peer based nonprofit organization which offers free anonymous support groups with med students, residents/fellows and MD/DOs who are suffering from burnout/mental health/suicidal ideation and substance use. There are a couple of groups during the week (free) and they also offer coaching (nominal fees).  The group is fully anonymous so there is no mechanism for documentation or mandating referrals.
  • Get legal services through the WA EAP: If you or your family are facing a legal issue, the Washington State Employee Assistance Program can help with free expert advice from a qualified attorney, plus online support with legal forms, simple wills and a library of legal articles.
  • Use your backup care benefit at select summer camps: Your backup care benefit through Bright Horizons applies to discounts at Steve & Kate’s Camps around the Puget Sound, where your child can design their own day of activities.
  • Keep moving with Fitness Day partner discounts: Feeling energized by UW Fitness Day and want to keep moving? The Whole U’s community fitness partners offer great discounts to UW employees on classes and memberships.

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