Dear GME Community,
Last Friday, August 16, 2024, was GME Professionals Day, which is designated by the Association of Hospital Medical Education (AHME) as a day to recognize and celebrate hardworking GME Professionals. I’m proud to be part of an excellent GME team here at UW Medicine and thank our colleagues in programs and departments, as well as our wonderful GME Office team. I also love to when our GME community can gather and was delighted to see over 300 members come together for our Mariners Night Out on Friday, August 9th, at T-Mobile Park.
We’re delighted to share photos from the UW School of Medicine Stethoscope Ceremony in July. Internal Medicine R3, MaKenna Stavins spoke to incoming medical students. Thanks to MaKenna and our partners in UW Medicine Alumni Affairs! In other Alumni Affairs news, we’re excited to share an opportunity for residents to participate in the signature Student-Alumni Informational Discussions (SAID) program (see below for more details).
August’s GME News & Notes includes information about several training and professional development opportunities, recruitment information for programs and other important information. Please let us know if you’d like anything included going forward.
Thanks,
Cindy
Policies and Processes
- Please review the July 8 ‘Update for AY26 Recruitment and Interview Season’ email from Dr. Byron Joyner for important information regarding interview formats, second looks, sub-internships and observerships. Information is also available on our Recruitment Resources webpage.
- Please review the June 20 ‘UW GME Community Commitment’ email from Dr. Jennifer Best regarding individual practices of inclusion and care, selected from and vetted by residents, that foster a culture of belonging.
Program Information
- The University of Washington’s Schools of Dentistry (UWSOD) and Medicine (UWSOM) are pleased to announce a new collaborative initiative. The two renowned health education entities will join forces to embark on development of an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency program. The program will be housed under UW Medicine’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) Office and include partnerships with community health partners. Read more on the UWSOD Education page.
- We are pleased to announce ABIM approval for the launch of an official Integrated Geriatric and Palliative fellowship in the Department of Medicine. This two-year program leads to board certification in both specialties and allows for up to eight months of protected time for scholarship and development as a leader. Applications are currently being accepted for a July 2025 start.
- The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication. If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org.
Events of Interest
- GME Lunch & Learns
- August 15: Cancelled
- September 19: IMGs and Visa Sponsorship
- October 17: Moonlighting and Outside Work
- AY25 Lunch & Learn schedule is posted to the GME website.
- The ACGME is offering a Self-Empowerment Workshop for Coordinators. This online workshop will help both seasoned and new coordinators grow their skills to empower themselves in GME, including detailed and practical strategies for leadership, networking, communication, and professionalism. The workshop will run August 19-27, 2024. Register Today.
- Rescheduled: The final session of our Cultivating Skills in Feedback and Critical Conversations Education Series will be November 4 from 1:30pm to 3:00pm (Zoom). The topic is: Supporting BIPOC and URiM trainees. Program directors, associate program directors, program administrators and faculty are welcome. As we get closer, RSVP emails will be sent out for this event along with our fifth session on September 24th “Trainee remediation and resources” from 1:30 – 3:00 pm (Zoom).
- Join us on September 14th, 2024, for the Life After Residency & Fellowship Seminar, featuring Aimee Lowe, J.D. This event will cover key strategies for transitioning into independent practice, including job search tips and contract negotiation advice. Past attendees have raved about the valuable insights and practical guidance they received. The seminar runs from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM via Zoom—don’t forget to register by September 12th. Registration link: https://sites.uw.edu/uwgme/housestaff-registration/
- Registration for our Educator Development for GME Excellence (EDGE) series is now open. Please register at: EDGE Registration | UW Graduate Medical Education. We will ask that: PDs plan to attend 3 of 4 events each year and APDs and Core Faculty plan to attend 2 of 4 events each year (individual or program choice)
- Thursday, September 19, 2024; 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: “Coaching to Consequences: Support and Remediation of Challenging Trainee and Physician Behaviors”: Dr. Eva Aagaard, Washington University
- Tuesday, October 22, 2024; 9:00 am – 10:30 am: “Entrustable Professional Activities: Dr. Brenessa Lindeman, University of Alabama-Birmingham
- Tuesday, March 25 2025; TBD between 9:00 am and 12:00pm: “Supporting Trainee Disability Accommodations”, Hayley Fisher, UW GME
- Thursday, April 24, 2025; TBD between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm: “How Our Program Does It” Session: Individualized Learning Plans OR Trainee Professional Development Curricula (concurrent)
- The AAMC Group on Educational Affairs announced that registration is now open for the 2024 Staff Track Virtual Conference! This annual event brings together staff professionals, specialists, educators, managers, and academic trainers from across the medical education continuum to share knowledge and foster collaboration. The event is Friday, September 13, 2024 at 8:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM ET via Zoom. Please register for this free event.
- Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.
Projects and Resources
Please review the GME Annual Program Timeline for important dates for the months of August and September.- We have posted an updated letter for prospective residents and fellows from Dr. Joyner on our Prospective Residents & Fellows page. You will find the updated letter there along with a lot of helpful information for the recruitment season (which is also reflected in the letter). Feel free to share this information with prospective trainees and/or link from your own recruitment materials.
- For residents and fellows who are UWSOM alumni: current MD students need you! In partnership with the UW School of Medicine Alumni Association, the GME Office would like to encourage your participation in the signature Student-Alumni Informational Discussions program. Through SAID, alumni host a small group of students –virtually or in person—for lively conversations about professional practice, residency, work-life balance, finding community, and general advice for navigating medical school. Students are eager to hear from and connect with you! Visit https://uwmedalumni.org/said/ to host a session.
- A web page dedicated to coordinators, centralizing essential resources in one location, is now available on the ACGME website. ACGME also has two new resources available for Program Coordinators: a Program Coordinator Handbook and a Program Coordinator Handbook Companion: Paving Your Path to Success. Review the Handbook and access the Learning Path. The Handbook has also been added to the UWGME Program Administrators page.
- Parent trainees are encouraged to join our Parenthood Peer Mentorship Program as either a mentor or mentee. This program is designed to support parent trainees by matching them with peers to share knowledge and support each other. Additional information can be found on the Parenthood Peer Mentorship Program webpage.
- The GME Office would like to update our 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.
- UW GME has launched a UW GME WhatsApp group for residents and fellows, including interest groups like “GME Parents” and “Quick Meals on the go!” Additionally, some other WhatsApp groups, such as “UW IMG Residents & Fellows”. We encourage more to join!
- The GME Office has created 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.
People
- Nazem Akoum, Program Director, Atrial Fibrillation Program and the Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program and section head of Cardiac Electrophysiology, is the inaugural holder of the Graham and Brenda Siddall Endowed Professorship in Arrhythmia Research.
- Congratulations to Anne Browning, Associate Dean for Well-Being, on her promotion to Chief Well-Being Officer for UW Medicine. Anne is a fantastic partner and we look forward to continuing to work with her on behalf of our residents and fellows!
- Congratulations to Tim Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine and Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Dean of the UW School of Medicine, who has been named ‘CEO to Know.’ Becker’s Hospital Review recognizes our top leader for his focus on employee well-being; for his promotion of equity, diversity and inclusion across the system; and more.
- Andrew Raikhel, assistant professor, is lead author and Jeffrey Redinger, assistant professor (General Internal Medicine) is senior author of “Through the Looking Glass: Comparing Hospitalists’ and Internal Medicine Residents’ Perceptions of Feedback” in Cureus. Department of Medicine co-author is Gabrielle Berger (Internal Medicine Associate Program Director).
- Gregory Condos, acting instructor, is lead author, and James McCabe, Structural Heart Program Director, is senior author of “Hemodynamic Tolerance of TEER Device Extraction Followed by TMVR” in JACC Cardiovascular Interventions. Department of Medicine co-authors are David Elison and Christine Chung (Interventional Cardiology Associate Program Director).
- Manuel Ferreira, Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Surgery and Neurological Surgery Associate Program Director, is featured in “From Diagnosis to Recovery: A Patient’s Meningioma Story” from Right as Rain.
- Jeffrey Friedrich, Plastic Surgery-Integrated Program Director, is first author of “Transparency in Plastic Surgery Program Accreditation.” This ACGME News and Views article describes how the Review Committee for Plastic Surgery reviews programs for accreditation. The authors provide an overview of how the Review Committee gathers information, analyzes data, and takes action.
- Haiming Kerr, acting assistant professor, is lead author, and Jose Garcia, Geriatric Medicine Research Pathway Program Director, is senior author of “Mouse sarcopenia model reveals sex- and age-specific differences in phenotypic and molecular characteristics” in JCI. Department of Medicine co-author Lucas Caeiro.
- Lindsay Gunnell, Dermatology Chief Resident, is featured in “Have a sunscreen routine — and remember your ears” from UW Medicine Newsroom, as well as “Is Sunscreen Bad for You? We Asked a Dermatologist” from Right as Rain.
- Vishesh Kapur, Sleep Medicine Program Director, is featured in “How to handle jet lag, according to very frequent travelers” from The New York Times.
- Paul Cornia, professor, Michael Krug, Internal Medicine – Boise Associate Program Director, and Meghna Shah, clinical assistant professor (General Internal Medicine) are co-authors of “Medications for alcohol-use disorder and follow-up after hospitalization for alcohol withdrawal: A multicenter study” in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Krug is also lead author and William Weppner, associate professor (General Internal Medicine) is senior author of “The Impact of Changing From a 6+2 to a 3+1 Residency Block Schedule on Patient Access and Other Outcomes” in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education. DOM co-authors are Alicia Carrasco and Andrea Christopher (Internal Medicine – Boise Associate Program Director).
- Thomas Kuczmarski, fellow, is lead author and Ryan Lynch, associate professor (Hematology and Oncology) is senior author of “Managing common toxicities associated with checkpoint inhibitor and chemotherapy combinations for untreated classic Hodgkin lymphoma” in the British Journal of Haematology.
- Emily Liang, fellow (Hematology and Oncology) is co-author of “How I use next-generation sequencing–MRD to plan approach and prevent relapse after HCT for children and adults with ALL” in Blood.
- Oliver McElvaney, fellow (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) is lead author of “International Medical Graduates and the Physician Workforce” in JAMA. Learn more on the Department of Medicine news site.
- Christopher McMullen, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Associate Program Director, is featured in “Are the Claims About Cold Plunge Health Benefits True?” from Right as Rain.
- Natalia Murinova, Headache Program Director, is featured in “Shared Pain, Shared Healing; Headache Care Visits” from The Huddle.
- Nicholas Murphy, fellow, is lead author and Matthew Triplette, associate professor (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) is senior author of “A tailored decision aid improves understanding of lung cancer screening in people with HIV” in Chest. Department of Medicine co-authors are Kristina Crothers, Jehan Budak, Nicholas Giustini, Katherine Durette, and Katie DeCell.
- Tomas Mustelin, Rheumatology Associate Program Director, has received an R01 for his project “Upstream drivers of type I interferons in lupus.” Dr. Mustelin has also received an R21 for “Alternative splicing and expression of transposable elements in aging skeletal muscle” (Department of Medicine co-I is Dr. Rayan Najjar). Dr. Mustelin is also senior author of “Evidence of membranolytic targeting and intracellular citrullination in neutrophils isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis” in Scientific Reports. He is senior author of “Distinct Transcript-Level Expression Profiles and Unique Alternative Splicing in Inflammatory Myopathies” in ACR Open and lead author of “Autoimmunity: the neoantigen hypothesis” in Frontiers in Immunology. Finally, Dr. Mustelin is senior author of “Subcellular location of L1 retrotransposon-encoded ORF1p, reverse transcription products, and DNA sensors in lupus granulocytes” in Mobile DNA.
- Congratulations to Lauren Pollack, acting instructor (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) who is a 2024 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Research Scholar. This program aims to advance the scientific endeavors of new/early investigators (who have applied for or will shortly apply for a Career Development Award) whose goal is to become independent scientists actively involved in palliative care research. Dr. Pollack, is also quoted in “Coping With Seasonal Allergies and COPD” in Every Day Health.
- Chi Hung, associate professor, is lead author and Ganesh Raghu, Interstitial Lung Disease Program Director, is senior author of “Treatment of acute exacerbations of interstitial lung diseases with corticosteroids: Evidence?” in Respirology.
- Coralynn Sack, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Associate Program Director, is quoted in “Wildfire smoke health effects: How to protect yourself in WA” from KCPQ-TV.
- Namrata Singh, Rheumatology Associate Program Director, and Dominique Feterman, fellow (Rheumatology) wrote “Medicare is putting the care of our aging population at risk” for the Seattle Times. Learn more on the Department of Medicine news site.
- Tracy Tylee, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition Program Director, joined the Medscape Thyroid Stimulating Podcast to discuss “Know Your Options: Thyroidectomy for Graves Disease.”
- UW Medicine ranked one of the best employers for women: Forbes ranked UW Medicine in the top 5% in the nation in its annual ranking of America’s Best Employers for Women. The annual Forbes list highlights success in promoting women to top leadership positions, addressing the gender wage gap, and creating equitable workplaces for women.
- The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is pleased to announce the appointment of Debra Weinstein, MD as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025.