GME News & Notes: January

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra Headshot

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

Happy new year!  There are lots of reasons to celebrate this month including Dr. Byron Joyner, our Vice Dean and DIO receiving the 2024 Presidential Citation from the American Urological Association, and Dr. Claire Oduwo, Psychiatry resident, receiving the UW Medicine Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award in 2024.

Please plan ahead for Thank a Resident Day, which will be Friday February 23rd.  Thank a Resident Day is sponsored by the Gold Humanism Honor Society and takes place each year to collectively show gratitude and appreciation for residents and how integral they are to the healthcare team. We’re planning GME Outreach events and encourage programs and departments to plan to celebrate as well!

Please remember that the UW Medicine Bias Reporting Tool is a place to share 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.  The GME Concern Reporting tool is also available to members of the GME community to report concerns about the learning environment.

Cindy

Policies and Processes

  • Residency and Fellowship Position Appointment (RFPA) Agreement for 2024-2025: the AY25 RFPA was approved by GMEC on January 11 and is now available on the Policies and Procedures, Current Residents and Fellows, and Prospective Residents and Fellows pages of the GME website.  A communication about the updated agreement was sent to current residents, fellows, program directors and program administrators on January 16.  Programs currently interviewing candidates for the 2024-2025 academic year must provide candidates with a copy of the updated agreement.
  • The GMEC approved revisions to the following policies at the January meeting. All are posted on the Policies and Procedures page of the GME website.
    • Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Registration Policy: Minor updates were made to the DEA Registration Policy including adding a Purpose statement and updating the attestation requirement for opioid management training, which was communicated to programs in May 2023.
    • Resident and Fellow Evaluation Policy: Has been revised to include non-ACGME fellowships and NST programs. A new Definitions section has been added, and the Policy section reorganized to clarify PD responsibilities and evaluation processes. Significant updates were made to the Semiannual and End of Year Evaluation sections, with a specific focus on NST trainees. The Resident Evaluation Management and Access section was renamed and updated, and outdated guidelines were removed from the attachments.
  • A reminder that residents and fellows are essential personnel who are expected to report for duty; please see guidance from Residency and Fellowship Position Appointment (RFPA) Agreement 2023-2024 and Executive Order 27: Suspended Operations Policy

Program Information

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • January 18: ACGME Surveys, slides and recording are now available
    • February 15: Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP)
    • March 21: Annual Program Evaluations (APEs)
  • 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! Registration will open in February.  Please see the January 18 email from Jennifer Best for more information.
  • Navigating Parental Leave for Resident & Fellow Physicians will be Tuesday, February 6th from 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom. Please see the agenda. Register at: https://sites.uw.edu/uwgme/event-registration/. Registration closes February 2. If you can’t make it, a recording will be posted to the Housestaff Events webpage. 
  • Registration for the ACGME Meaning in Medicine 2024 Annual Education Conference is open! The conference is in Orlando, FL March 7-9, 2024. Support for meeting attendance is ensured by the clinical chair in every new Program Director Appointment Letter.
  • The UWSOM is sponsoring the 2024 Graduate Medical Education (GME) Summit. The focus will be collaborating to address workforce needs within the WWAMI region and beyond. Registration for the Summit is now open! Join us on April 25-26, 2024, in Anchorage, Alaska.
  • Please save the date(s)! The GME Office is pleased to invite program leadership (PDs, APDs, PAs) to participate in GME’s 2024 Educational Series: Cultivating Skills in Feedback and Critical Conversations.  See 11/9 email from Cindy Hamra for more information. 
  • 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 January and February including: Milestones mid-year reporting, semi-annual Procedures Certification entry in MedHub, ACGME Annual Survey preparation, SF Match registration (for applicable programs), and kickoff of activities for the annual onboarding season.
  • Washington State Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) premium rates will decrease for UW personnel whose work is performed in the state of Washington. More specifically, the premium rate for the PFML program will decrease from 0.8% to 0.74% of your gross wages up to $168,600 of taxable income. This is paired with a change in the employee–employer split for PFML, with the employee’s contribution decreasing to 71.43%. These changes will be reflected in your January 10, 2024, paycheck. To calculate your 2024 PFML premium contribution and to learn more about PFML benefits, please visit wa.gov. More information about the premium update can be found at https://paidleave.wa.gov/updates/.
  • 2025 ACGME Awards: Nomination materials are available on each award’s page in the Awards section of the ACGME website. All nominations are due March 27, 2024. Please reach out to the GME office if you plan to submit an application.
  • The ACGME’s Back to Bedside initiative is designed to empower residents and fellows to develop transformative projects that foster meaning and joy in work and allow them to engage on a deeper level with what is at the heart of medicine: their patients. This initiative supports resident- and fellow-directed innovations. Proposals are due by April 22, 2024. Learn More
  • Our GME PLA team is hoping to make strides in communication and improving the process for our community in several ways:
    • We created a new, simplified introduction video for the PLA process as a whole here.
    • We want to make sure the barriers to completing a rotation request or PLA are as low as possible. If you could please fill out the linked survey and provide feedback it would be helpful and allow us to improve the process.
    • Please review the email from Chris Gibson sent on 12/19 for data on expiring PLAs.
  • Please review “Access to UW Medicine Care for Employees” from The Huddle for information about help for UW Medicine employees and their families to gain better access to UW Medicine facilities and providers.
  • The UW Office of Global Affairs is excited to announce that effective January 1, 2024, all UW faculty, staff and other academic personnel who are traveling overseas on official UW business will now be covered by an international emergency medical and security insurance policy. This coverage is provided at no cost to the traveler and differs from the current coverage in that it includes emergency medical benefits.
  • The GME Office is supporting a new project called the Names & Pronunciations Initiative, which aims to not only highlight the importance of name pronunciations, but also improve communication by providing physical badges (for those who want one) which include users’ written phonetic name pronunciation. Anyone interested in learning more about the project or who wants to order a pronunciation badge can do so here: https://www.names-pronunciations-initiative.com/. If you receive a badge for someone not in your program or if you have any questions, please email the project lead, Sudiptho (UW MS4) at sudiptho@uw.edu.

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: The Names & Pronunciations Initiative (NPI)

by | Jan 5, 2024 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

The Names & Pronunciations Initiative (NPI) is a community project that aims to help people pronounce each other’s names correctly. All of us are many things. But our names define us. As our community becomes more diverse, NPI will help us correctly pronounce others’ names. NPI does this very simply: it makes physical pronunciation tags that can be layered behind our hospital ID badges.

In partnership with the Office of Healthcare Equity – and many other UW Medicine groups, I am proud to support this project as it helps us to get to know each other better. This month I have invited the NPI project lead, UW 4th year UWSOM medical student Sudiptho (suh-dip-doe) Paul, to share NPIs’ origins.  It is my hope that NPI will help everyone feel welcome in our community.

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Designated Institutional Official

Sudiptho Paul Headshot

Sudiptho Paul, MS4

The inspiration behind the Names & Pronunciations Initiative (NPI) stems from a personal journey marked by an awareness of the impact that mispronunciations can have on one’s sense of self and belonging. Having navigated predominantly white spaces in my youth, college, and work as a first-generation Bangladeshi-Thai American, I experienced firsthand both the subtle and significantly negative impacts of name mispronunciations on my educational and professional development and well-being—an “othering” experience common to many people.

This awareness continued during virtual medical school amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic when particularly distressing mispronunciations of my name drove me to address the issue more proactively. Having successfully advocated for the integration of NameCoach—a program facilitating audio recordings of name pronunciations—into the medical school’s online systems, it became apparent during my clinical rotations that something more tangible was needed for the face-to-face clinical settings.

Hence, I started NPI, which involved the creation of physical name pronunciation tags as a simple communication aid. Designed to layer behind UW hospital ID badges, these tags function as a helpful tool to facilitate more accurate name pronunciations in-person. NPI empowers individuals to cultivate stronger interpersonal relationships for communication and collaboration in our community— connections start with our names.

Example of Names & Pronunciation Initiative Badge. Learn more about the project online [QR Code]. My name is pronounced: Implementing NPI required perseverance and teamwork to translate awareness into action. Despite facing initial setbacks in grant applications, the project eventually secured support through the 2023 UW Resilience & Compassion Seed Grant. The setting was ripe for collaboration, as I came to learn that other students, residents, fellows, attendings, and staff had also had similar conversations about the importance of correct name pronunciations. Coming together, we designed the tags, developed strategies for their distribution across the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho (WWAMI) region, and engaged with various UW Medicine affiliated groups to foster the project’s success in our community. I also built NPI’s website, which serves as an information hub where people can order pronunciation tags and find other resources. Beyond improving name pronunciations, I want these tags to also prompt us all to reflect more about our names’ role on our identities. Who named you and why? How does it feel when it is pronounced correctly versus incorrectly? What does your name mean to you and what does it represent?

NPI can be regarded as a grassroots initiative driven by our community’s collective commitment to inclusivity. I hope this project’s manifestation inspires others to act on other issues, regardless of how minor a problem may seem—it is about encouraging small steps that contribute to a larger improvement in culture within UW Medicine and beyond.

Sudiptho Paul
4th Year Medical Student
University of Washington School of Medicine

GME News & Notes: December

by | Dec 21, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra Headshot

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

December News & Notes has several useful reminders including information about accessing UW Medicine Care for Employees, accepting gifts from patients, and several great events in the new year.

From the GME Office, we’re excited to celebrate Dr. Itay Bentov, Associate Professor, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, as winner of the 2023 Bruce C. Gilliland Award. We also congratulate Dr. Tim Dellit on his appointment as CEO of UW Medicine and Dean of the School of Medicine.  Dr. Dellit did his fellowship here at UWSOM in infectious diseases!

Dr. Joyner’s December blog shares our reflections on 2023.  Happy holidays to those in our community who celebrate and wishing all a happy and healthy 2024!

Thank you,
Cindy  

 

Policies and Processes

  • The holiday season is often a time of giving by grateful patients, vendors, and other outside organizations. State employees within UW Medicine are governed by the Washington State Ethics in Public Service Act with regard to the gifts they may accept and how they may redirect gifts they cannot accept.  Common questions about gifts from patients and other external sources (including food and beverages) and other related topics are answered in the Gifts from External Sources FAQs on the UW Medicine Compliance website.  Additional information is available on the Internal Audit website.
  • A reminder that residents and fellows are considered essential personnel who are expected to report for duty; please see guidance from Residency and Fellowship Position Appointment (RFPA) Agreement 2023-2024 and Executive Order 27: Suspended Operations Policy.  
  • Remember that trainees who are members of the RFPU-NW are entitled to one (1) paid personal holiday per calendar year. If unused in the calendar year, the personal holiday is forfeit, and it is not paid at separation. It is the employee’s responsibility to schedule the personal holiday before December 31st. If before the end of the calendar year the employee requests the use of their personal holiday in accordance with the employer’s time off or leave procedures and the employer denies the request, the employee is entitled to carry over the personal holiday to the next calendar year.  Please see complete information in ​ Article 12 of the RFPU-NW Contract.   

Program Information

  • Welcome New Program Administrators:
    • Sydney Anderson, Child Abuse Pediatrics
  • The GME Appointment Manager position is now live, and we are accepting applications! You can find the position posted here. Hayley Fisher is happy to answer questions about the position.
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • December 21: Canceled
    • January 18: ACGME Surveys
    • February 15: Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP)
  • Presentations from the November and December Program Administrator meetings are available on the Program Administrator Meetings page.
  • We invite you to two evenings of writing and storytelling supported by the UW Medicine Well-Being Grant. Professor Susan Meyer at Seattle University will guide us to reflect on our personal and professional experiences from the pandemic into the present. You are welcome to join one or both of these free sessions (January 16th and February 6th).
  • Navigating Parental Leave for Resident & Fellow Physicians will be Tuesday, February 6th from 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom. Please see the agenda.  Register today. Registration closes February 2. If you can’t make it, a recording will be posted to the Housestaff Events webpage.
  • Please join us on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, from 8:30am-12pm for the AY25 Onboarding Kickoff Meeting. This virtual event will provide an overview of the onboarding and reappointment processes for the upcoming academic year. Attendance at this meeting is highly encouraged for all program administrators and any department staff involved in the appointment and onboarding process of new residents and fellows, including those of you who are not program administrators but have roles in Workday. Please see the Save the Date email sent on December 21st for more information.
  • Registration for the ACGME Meaning in Medicine 2024 Annual Education Conference is open! The conference is scheduled to take place in Orlando, Florida at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort March 7-9, 2024. More information can be found on the conference website. Support for meeting attendance is ensured by the clinical chair in every new Program Director Appointment Letter.
  • The University of Washington School of Medicine is sponsoring the 2024 Graduate Medical Education (GME) Summit. The focus will be collaborating to address workforce needs within the WWAMI region and beyond. Early bird registration for the GME Summit 2024 is now open! Join us on April 25-26, 2024, in Anchorage, Alaska at the BP Energy Center. Stay tuned in the coming months as we announce speakers.
  • Please save the date(s)! The GME Office is pleased to invite program leadership (PDs, APDs, PAs) to participate in an educational series that we will be offering throughout 2024.  We have designed this series in response to cross-program challenges as observed in our ACGME surveys and in our work supporting programs and trainees.   See 11/9 email from Cindy Hamra for more information.
  • 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 December and January including: Milestones mid-year reporting, semi-annual Procedures Certification entry in MedHub, ACGME Annual Survey preparation, and SF Match registration (for applicable programs).
  • Our PLAs team is hoping to make strides in communication and improving the process for our community in several ways:
    • We created a new, simplified introduction video for the PLA process as a whole here.
    • We want to make sure the barriers to completing a rotation request or PLA are as low as possible. If you could please fill out the linked survey and provide feedback it would be helpful and allow us to improve the process.
    • Please review the email from Chris Gibson sent on 12/19 for data on expiring PLAs.
  • Please review “Access to UW Medicine Care for Employees” from The Huddle for information about help for UW Medicine employees and their families to gain better access to UW Medicine facilities and providers.
  • The WWAMI Institute for Simulation in Healthcare (WISH) is the simulation-based education program serving all of UW Medicine, since 2005. WISH is undergoing some exciting developments and is seeking input from all users (as well as would-be future users) to help inform strategic plans for the next 5 years. By the end of this year, please take a few moments to provide your responses around both current and anticipated future simulation-based utilization, and services that would benefit your training programs in the coming years. For additional comments or questions, please reach out to WISH Associate Director, Megan Sherman or Chief of the Division for Healthcare Simulation Science, Dr. Rob Sweet.
  • Every year, the UW School of Medicine Alumni Association recognizes exceptional alumni with a series of awards. We encourage UW School of Medicine alumni, faculty, staff and other professional colleagues to nominate alumni for one or more of our awards. All alumni who received a degree from, or completed residency or fellowship training in, a program administered by the UW School of Medicine or one of our academic departments are eligible. Visit the website for full descriptions of the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Alumni Humanitarian Award, the Alumni Service Award and the Alumni Early Achievement Award. Nominations for the 2024 awards are open; you may submit nominations until December 31, 2023 here.
  • The UW Office of Global Affairs is excited to announce that effective January 1, 2024, all UW faculty, staff and other academic personnel who are traveling overseas on official UW business will now be covered by an international emergency medical and security insurance policy. This coverage is provided at no cost to the traveler and differs from the current coverage in that it includes emergency medical benefits.
  • The GME Office is supporting a new project called the Names & Pronunciations Initiative, which aims to not only highlight the importance of name pronunciations, but also improve communication by providing physical badges (for those who want one) which include users’ written phonetic name pronunciation. Anyone interested in learning more about the project or who wants to order a pronunciation badge can do so at: https://www.names-pronunciations-initiative.com/. If you receive a badge for someone not in your program or if you have any questions, please email the project lead, Sudiptho (UW MS4).
  • The GME Office has posted an updated letter from Dr. Joyner for prospective residents and fellows to our GME Prospective Residents & Fellows page.

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: December: Reflecting on 2023

by | Dec 8, 2023 | Announcements, News

Byron Joyner Headshot

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

Dr. Jennifer Best

Jennifer Best, MD

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra JD, MA

It is startling that we are facing the end of another calendar year, yet here it is: December! What a year! Through our windows, the Seattle afternoons are dark, but in our hearts, there is light, especially as we reflect on what our community has accomplished in 2023.

Over the past year, the GME Office has developed and shared a new strategic plan that will guide our focus over the next six years. We are particularly proud of this ambitious plan which represents input from a broad range of community members. Movement on this plan will bring material improvements to all elements of our already-outstanding learning environment, which we have intentionally centered on advocacy for our trainees. In the New Year, we welcome involvement from community members who are particularly interested in one or more of our initiatives.

The GME team continues to evolve. This year, we said hello to team members Chris Gibson (Affiliations and Agreements Specialist), Ivy Gibson (eLearning Experience Developer), Bethany Griffitts (Fiscal Specialist), Allison Shults (RMS and Information Systems Manager) and Amy Wheat (Wellness Counselor). The team supported the rollout of six new GME programs (Advanced Cardiac Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery, FM Medical Student Education, Global and Rural Health, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology), including the first rural residency in internal medicine in the United States – the University of Washington Alaska Internal Medicine Rural Residency Program. And we are excited to welcome the inaugural cohort for the new LEAD-UP leadership program – a partnership between UW GME and the Office of Healthcare Equity (OHCE).

Seattle had the privilege this year of playing host in November to the American Association of Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) Learn Serve Lead Annual Conference, in the brand new and stunning Seattle Convention Center – Summit location. It was wonderful to see so many UW SOM educators representing our School of Medicine and presenting there, and to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the WWAMI program with our new Dean, Dr. Tim Dellit who welcomed more than 100 people at the UW Welcome Event.

The work of GME is dynamic, rich, and essential for the health of our community. This is true regardless of where and how that work is accomplished: at the bedside, in conference rooms, in administrative offices, operating rooms, clinics, or on-line. It simply would not be possible without each of you who has joined us on this collective journey. We look forward to more opportunities in 2024 to come together again in person and to celebrate the shared goals that unite our individual efforts as a beautiful whole.

Our best to each of you this season and Happy New Year!

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education

Cindy Hamra, JD
Associate Dean, Operations and Administration

 

 

GME News & Notes: November

by | Nov 17, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra Headshot

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

I’m pleased to share several great educational events and opportunities in the November News & Notes, including the excellent Optimizing MedHub Lunch & Learn, 2024 ACGME conference registration, a new 2024 GME educational series and the November PA meeting recording.

This article from the UW Medicine Newsroom focuses on practice in rural areas:  Docs trained in rural areas tend to practice in rural areas.  Our Department of Family Medicine has a Chelan Rural Training Program that is designed to train physicians for rural practice.

November is Native American Heritage Month!  This article in The Huddle has information about the history, cultures and achievements of Native American communities, including articles about Northwest Native Art and Native American contributions to public health as well as a guide to events and heritage sites in Seattle.

Finally, sending off Khrystine Buccat, our amazing GME Appointment Manager, as she transitions to the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology as the new Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division Administrator.  Khrystine’s last day in GME is November 22.  We wish her all the best and will be posting the opening shortly!

Thank you,
Cindy  

Celebrating Native American Heritage UW Medicine

Policies and Processes

  • COVID Vaccination are Required for All Current and Future Trainees at Seattle Children’s – Due by 12/11/2023. All residents, fellows, and medical students rotating or have access to Seattle Children’s after 12/11/2023 are required to have full COVID vaccination, including the new 2023-2024 Monovalent COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine, or have request ed an exception prior to working at Seattle Children’s. The sponsoring program/institution will be responsible for ensuring trainee compliance.  For more information, trainees should go to CHILD (Seattle Children’s intranet).
  • The holiday season is often a time of giving by grateful patients, vendors, and other outside organizations. State employees within UW Medicine are governed by the Washington State Ethics in Public Service Act with regard to the gifts they may accept and how they may redirect gifts they cannot accept.  Common questions about gifts from patients and other external sources (including food and beverages) and other related topics are answered in the Gifts from External Sources FAQs on the UW Medicine Compliance website.  Additional information is available on the Internal Audit website.
  • Explore benefits options at UW Benefits & Resource Fairs (including virtual option) 
    Learn about your benefits options in advance of open enrollment (November 1 – December 15) at one of the UW onsite benefits fairs, or an ongoing virtual fair. 
  • A reminder that residents and fellows are considered essential personnel who are expected to report for duty; please see guidance from Residency and Fellowship Position Appointment (RFPA) Agreement 2023-2024 and Executive Order 27: Suspended Operations Policy.  
  • Remember that trainees who are members of the RFPU-NW are entitled to one (1) paid personal holiday per calendar year. If unused in the calendar year, the personal holiday is forfeit, and it is not paid at separation. It is the employee’s responsibility to schedule the personal holiday before December 31st. If before the end of the calendar year the employee requests the use of their personal holiday in accordance with the employer’s time off or leave procedures and the employer denies the request, the employee is entitled to carry over the personal holiday to the next calendar year.  Please see complete information in ​ Article 12 of the RFPU-NW Contract.   

Program Information

  • Welcome New Program Administrators:
    • Ruby Tang, Obstetric Anesthesiology, Liver Transplant Anesthesiology, Regional Anesthesiology
    • Serena Wong, Neuromuscular Medicine, Vascular Neurology
  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Chris Burke, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Thoracic Surgery – Integrated (Interim)
    • Paige Keasler, Obstetric Anesthesiology
    • Matthew Phelps, Breast Imaging (non-ACGME)
    • Porshia Underwood, Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • November 16: Optimizing MedHub Settings, slides and recording now available
    • December 21: Canceled
    • January 18: ACGME Surveys
  • Registration for the ACGME Meaning in Medicine 2024 Annual Education Conference is open! The conference is scheduled to take place in Orlando, Florida at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort March 7-9, 2024. More information can be found on the conference website. Support for meeting attendance is ensured by the clinical chair in every new Program Director Appointment Letter.
  • Please save the date(s)! The GME Office is pleased to invite program leadership (PDs, APDs, PAs) to participate in an educational series that we will be offering throughout 2024.  We have designed this series in response to cross-program challenges as observed in our ACGME surveys and in our work supporting programs and trainees.   See 11/9 email from Cindy Hamra for more information.
  • The University of Washington School of Medicine is sponsoring the 2024 Graduate Medical Education (GME) Summit. Please Save the Date to join us on April 25-26, 2024, in Anchorage, Alaska. Registration will open in December.
  • 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 November and December including: NRMP Match deadlines, fall Milestones reporting, semi-annual Procedures Certification entry in MedHub, ERAS preseason setup (Dec Cycle), and AAMC/GME Track GME Census deadlines.
  • Presentation from Nov 14 Program Administrator meeting is now available on the Program Administrator Meetings page.
  • The GME Office is supporting a new project called the Names & Pronunciations Initiative, which aims to not only highlight the importance of name pronunciations, but also improve communication by providing physical badges (for those who want one) which include users’ written phonetic name pronunciation. Anyone interested in learning more about the project or who wants to order a pronunciation badge can do so at: https://www.names-pronunciations-initiative.com/. If you receive a badge for someone not in your program or if you have any questions, please email the project lead, Sudiptho (UW MS4).
  • The WWAMI Institute for Simulation in Healthcare (WISH) is the simulation-based education program serving all of UW Medicine, since 2005. WISH is undergoing some exciting developments and is seeking input from all users (as well as would-be future users) to help inform strategic plans for the next 5 years. By Friday, December 15th, please take a few moments to provide your responses around both current and anticipated future simulation-based utilization, and services that would benefit your training programs in the coming years. For additional comments or questions, please reach out to WISH Associate Director, Megan Sherman or Chief of the Division for Healthcare Simulation Science, Dr. Rob Sweet.
  • Every year, the UW School of Medicine Alumni Association recognizes exceptional alumni with a series of awards. We encourage UW School of Medicine alumni, faculty, staff and other professional colleagues to nominate alumni for one or more of our awards. All alumni who received a degree from, or completed residency or fellowship training in, a program administered by the UW School of Medicine or one of our academic departments are eligible. Visit the website for full descriptions of the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Alumni Humanitarian Award, the Alumni Service Award and the Alumni Early Achievement Award. Nominations for the 2024 awards are open; you may submit nominations until December 31, 2023 here.
  • The GME Office has posted an updated letter from Dr. Joyner for prospective residents and fellows to our GME Prospective Residents & Fellows page.
  • 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.
  • The Leave of Absence webpage contains LOA planning information and resources along with an intake form to contact GME for leave planning assistance: Leave Planning Submission Form.

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: GME Wellness Service

by | Nov 9, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

Many members of our community are familiar with the GME Wellness Service, a vital part of the GME Team.  Our four amazing counselors provide tremendous support for our residents and fellows.  This month, Dipti Chrastka, Director of the GME Wellness Service, shares an update about the robust services that create a healthier learning environment for our trainees.

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Designated Institutional Official

Our health and well-being have taken a toll over the last few years: the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in social isolation; racial unrest: and the more recent news of war and violence in Ukraine and the Middle East. We may experience feelings of fear, uncertainty, sadness, stress, and overall distress.

This season of shorter, cooler, darker days with less day light can also adversely impact our mood, sleep cycles, sap our energy and daily functioning.

Many of our medical professionals may face many stressors that affect their mental and physical health.

Resident and fellow well-being is a priority for UW GME which has been providing care to our community for over two decades.

Our GME Wellness Team provides a wide spectrum of services to build connection and foster a culture of holistic wellness. The GME Wellness team members are all licensed and skilled clinicians who bring their unique experiences in working with health care professionals.

Some of the many ways the Wellness Service supports you:

  • Counseling support: Our services are free, unlimited, and completely confidential. We offer daytime, as well as evening wellness appointments to accommodate our trainees’ busy schedules. We are currently offering virtual sessions, which reduces barriers, and takes away the stress of commuting, parking, and finding time in your already packed day to get support.

In AY23, we supported 249 unique residents, fellows, and partners/spouses with a total of 1,734 visits. We provided individual counseling, couples counseling, and connected many trainees with referrals to in-house specialists (e.g., a psychiatric provider and learning specialist).

  • We are proud to share that most of our clients are self-referred and many suggest our services to their colleagues.
  • In July 2023, we were very proud to be able to expand our wellness services to non-ACGME We currently serve nearly 1660 residents and fellows as well as their partners and spouses.
  • Facilitating presentations and group conferences: We partner with programs to understand the needs of our residents and fellows, facilitate discussion groups, share wellness tips and resources. In AY23, we presented to 12 programs and groups.
  • Consultation and Advocacy: Our discussions with individuals and programs help us have a deeper understanding of trends and issues in the larger system so we can advocate for improvements. We brainstorm and dialogue with GME and UW Medicine leadership to provide our residents and fellows avenues to raise concerns. Some examples include: identifying quiet spaces at our hospital sites; reporting microaggressions in a group; advocating for lightboxes in closed, windowless spaces within our hospitals to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD); and generally enhancing well-being around our campuses.
  • Community building: We host events for residents and fellows to meet and build social connections which allow networking to enhance well-being. We also publish a monthly newsletter, the Wellness Corner, to share local events, resources, and spotlight Wellness Wonders in our community.

Your input is vital to our success. Qualitative and quantitative data helps us evaluate our impact and make programmatic modifications.

Here’s some valuable feedback we received from our community in July.

  • “You value prioritizing mental health, wellness in residency training and our Wellness Services.”
  • “Having an unbiased, non-judgmental human being to provide longitudinal support, resources: someone who understands the stresses of residency and fellowship is a strength of our wellness service.”
  • “Emphasis on accessibility, removing barriers and offering evening hours for Wellness sessions.”

Connection is key and one antidote to isolation. The Wellness Team is honored to serve you and look forward to connecting with you. To read more about our service, visit our webpage.  Visit our scheduling page to schedule a wellness appointment or establish care.

Reach out to us – seeking support is an act of courage!  We are here to share in your joys, lighten your burdens, and celebrate you as we build a healthier community together.

Four Wellness Team Members in Halloween Costumes

GME Wellness Counselors

 

GME News & Notes: October

by | Oct 20, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra Headshot

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

I’m writing to share the October News & Notes. 

As October ends, programs are busy with recruitment activities, and I want to give kudos to the Network of Underrepresented Residents & Fellows (NURF), which hosted the fourth annual diversity town hall.  Dr. Ivonne Beltran Lara, president of NURF, also authored the October DIO Blog.    A reminder to programs of GME’s Recruitment Resources page as well.  GME has created a new Welcome Video, which is posted to our Prospective Residents & Fellows page.  Thanks to our extremely talented Lead eLearning User Experience Designer, Joe Wilson! 

Yesterday, the GME Lunch & Learn highlighted safety and support resources for trainees.  The recording is posted to our L&L page, and I wanted to remind you of our Workplace Health & Safety page as well as Information by Training Site.  Please also remember that concerns can be reported to GME via the Report a Concern form.  

Local and international news are difficult to watch right now, and the days are getting shorter.  Many members of our community are affected by these challenging events, and I encourage you to offer compassion and support.  Our wonderful GME Wellness counselors are available to support residents and fellows and OFA has a robust list of UW Supports and Mental Health Resources.  

 

Thank you, 

Cindy  

Policies and Processes

  • Please see the information from UW Medicine Employee Health and Infection Prevention & Control Teams on ‘When Will Masking in Clinical Spaces Be Required?’ 
  • Remember that trainees who are members of the RFPU-NW are entitled to one (1) paid personal holiday per calendar year. If unused in the calendar year, the personal holiday is forfeit, and it is not paid at separation. It is the employee’s responsibility to schedule the personal holiday before December 31st. If before the end of the calendar year the employee requests the use of their personal holiday in accordance with the employer’s time off or leave procedures and the employer denies the request, the employee is entitled to carry over the personal holiday to the next calendar year.  Please see complete information in ​ Article 12 of the RFPU-NW Contract.   
  • Explore benefits options at UW Benefits & Resource Fairs  
    Learn about your benefits options in advance of open enrollment (November 1 – December 15) at one of the UW onsite benefits fairs, or an ongoing virtual fair. 
  • A reminder that residents and fellows are considered essential personnel who are expected to report for duty; please see guidance from Residency and Fellowship Position Appointment (RFPA) Agreement 2023-2024 and Executive Order 27: Suspended Operations Policy.  

Program Information

  • Welcome New Program Administrators:
    • Esben Kincaid, Family Medicine Sports Medicine and Global Health 
    • Tony Trejo, Clinical Neurophysiology, Epilepsy, Neurocritical Care, Neuromuscular Medicine, and Vascular Neurology 
  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Sarah Wahlster, Neurocritical Care fellowship program (ACGME application pending)  
    • Elizabeth Harrington, Obstetrics and Gynecology Global and Rural Health fellowship (non-ACGME) 
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • October 19: Resident/Fellow Safety and Support Resources; slides and recording now available 
    • November 16: Optimizing MedHub Guidance for Programs! 
  • Family Building During Residency & Fellowship Monday, October 30th from 6-7:45pm PST.  Dr. Rachel Whynott, a reproductive endocrinologist, and infertility specialist, will answer questions and educate trainees about defining future family goals, how fertility changes with age, and options for delaying fertility and/or addressing infertility. Dr. Whynott may also be joined by a physician panel representing diverse families. Register today. Registration will close on October 26th. 
  • Please save the date for the 2024 University of Washington Center for Surgical Ethics Seminar! This will be held hybrid & in-person on Thursday and Friday, August 1st and 2nd 2024. Details of the event are still being finalized, but please stay tuned for more information! In the meantime, check out our Surgical Ethics Website.  
  • 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 October and November, including: October eLearning launch deadline, NRMP Match deadlines, fall Milestones reporting, ERAS preseason setup (Dec Cycle).
  • New SafeCampus videos aim to foster resilient, inclusive spaces: Two new videos for faculty, supervisors and managers were created to promote a safe, equitable workplace culture by teaching evidence-based prevention principles that address identity-based conflicts and build skills within the UW community.
  • The GME Office has an open recruitment for a second Float Administrator on our team (see posting, req. 210821). In addition to ensuring continuity of key operations of ACGME and non-ACGME programs residency and clinical fellowship programs during periods of program administrator transition or leave, the Float Administrator also works on special projects in the GME Office with the operations/administration and accreditation teams.
  • 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. See flyer for complete information and consider sharing.
  • UW Medicine launched the Bias Reporting Tool in early 2021 to provide our community with a new way to report incidents of bias. Since then, over 1,000 events have been reported. The Second Annual Community Report provides information about 372 events reported in the past year for the purpose of raising awareness about what our community is experiencing. This information helps us see patterns of biased behavior and identify areas needing more investment, training, policy, practice and process changes.
  • Every year, the UW School of Medicine Alumni Association recognizes exceptional alumni with a series of awards. We encourage UW School of Medicine alumni, faculty, staff and other professional colleagues to nominate alumni for one or more of our awards. All alumni who received a degree from, or completed residency or fellowship training in, a program administered by the UW School of Medicine or one of our academic departments are eligible. Visit the website for full descriptions of the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Alumni Humanitarian Award, the Alumni Service Award and the Alumni Early Achievement Award. Nominations for the 2024 awards are open; you may submit nominations until December 31, 2023 here.
  • Have questions about managing your schedule in MedHub? Don’t forget about the resources and recordings available on our GME MedHub website.
  • The UWMC Department of Public Safety is happy to announce the highly anticipated bike cage on the Northwest campus is ready for use. This secured bicycle storage area is located on the 1st floor, Southeast corner of the parking garage.  The bike locker is complete with racks and simple tools for most of your bicycle needs.  To have access to this bike locker added to your Husky Card, please email either Joshua Kinman at jkinman9@uw.edu or Deborah Wheat at dwheat3@uw.edu.
  • The GME Office has posted an updated letter from Dr. Joyner for prospective residents and fellows to our GME Prospective Residents & Fellows
  • 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.
  • 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

  • UW Medicine, University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center leaders have been highlighted among other “movers and shakers” in the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2023 Power 100.The fifth annual list recognizes UW Medicine Interim CEO Tim Dellit, Harborview CEO Sommer Kleweno Walley, UW President Ana Mari Cauce and Fred Hutch President and Director Thomas Lynch for their contributions to our community. Read more in a recent article from The Huddle.
  • The new Alaska Internal Medicine Rural Residency Program has released a fantastic recruitment video!.
  • Jessica Barsano, Medical Genetics Resident, was nominated and selected to serve as the resident representative on the ACGME Review and Recognition Committee (RRC).
  • Sayuli Bhide, Internal Medicine R3, received funding from the Rheumatology Research Foundation Resident Research Preceptorship to study “Sex differences in frailty and mortality in Veterans with Rheumatoid Arthritis.” She will be working on this proposal with Katie Wysham (Rheumatology) and Joshua Baker (UPenn).
  • John Choe, Internal Medicine Associate Program Director, is senior author of “Evaluation of an Individualized Learning Plan Template for the Transition to Residency” in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education.
  • Dipti Chrastka, Director of the GME Wellness Service, is quoted in Prioritizing Mental Health for Healthcare Workers in the UW Medicine Huddle.
  • Başak Çoruh, Pulmonary and Critical Care Program Director, is the inaugural Medical Educator Scholar Diversity Fellowship Mentor for the Association of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Program Directors (APCCMPD) and CHEST Medical Educator Scholar Diversity Fellowship Award. Established in 2023, the CHEST and APCCMPD Medical Educator Diversity Scholarship Fellowship Award recognizes the value of a diverse community in improving medical education in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
  • Thomas Dodson, Chair of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the School of Dentistry, is featured in UW scientists use stem cells to regenerate tooth enamel from KING 5.
  • Richard Ellenbogen, Professor and Chair of Neurological Surgery and Program Director for the Neurosurgery Residency Program, was elected as Chair of the ACGME Neurological Surgery Review Committee.
  • Barbara Goff, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology, was honored with the 2023 Dr. Saul E. Rivkin Award from the Rivkin Center. Her research interests include early detection of ovarian cancer, novel therapeutic drugs for ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies, and surgical training and education. She also helped develop the Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Questionnaire to help people experiencing key ovarian cancer symptoms communicate that information to their physician.
  • Ganesh Raghu, Intersitial Lung Disease Program Director, is lead author of “Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease: Evidence-based Recommendations. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline” in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Department of Medicine co-author is Gregory Gardner. Dr. Raghu is also co-author of “De novo design of highly selective miniprotein inhibitors of integrins αvβ6 and αvβ8” in Nature Communication.
  • James Kirkpatrick, Advanced Cardiac Imaging Program Director, is co-author of “Expanding the Paradigm for Cardiovascular Palliative Care” in Circulation.
  • Somnath Mookherjee, Academic Hospitalist Fellowship Program Director, is the new director of the Center for Learning and Innovation in Medicine Education (CLIME). The mission of CLIME is to create a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community that works together to optimize teaching skills, foster educator career development, and support educational scholarship.
  • Leo Morales, Assistant Dean for Healthcare Equity and Quality, is quoted in “COVID Tests Are Available to Anyone in the Country with a US Address, Regardless of Legal Status” in Latin Times. He is featured in “‘You’re my queen.’ A Latina wife with dementia and the loving husband who cares for her” from KUOW.
  • The 2023 recipients and nominees for the Inaugural Department of Medicine Outstanding Staff Awards were recognized and celebrated at a recent ceremony. The Outstanding Staff Award recognizes and celebrates exceptional staff members who are dedicated to supporting our missions of teaching, healing, discovery, and diversity, and upholding core values. Shinetra Pryor (Program Operations Specialist for the Geriatrics and Palliative Care Fellowship Programs) was among the winners.
  • Nahid Rashid, fellow, is lead author and Marco Mielcarek, professor (Hematology and Oncology) is senior author of “Impact of Donor Statin Treatment on Graft-versus-Host Disease after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation” in Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Department of Medicine co-authors are Stephanie Lee, Paul Martin and Rainer Storb.
  • Namrata Singh, Rheumatology Associate Program Director, has been selected to receive a 2023 UCLA MSTAR Best Research Mentor Award. MSTAR (Medical Student Training in Aging Research) is a combined program (UCLA, UCSF and UW) that provides medical students short-term research training in aging and geriatrics with successful mentors in the field, with the goal of encouraging medical students to consider careers as physician scientists in aging research.
  • Alyssa Stephenson-Famy, Obstetrics and Gynecology Associate Program Director, is an author on “Does the Degree Matter? MD and DO Students Who Match Into OB/GYN Report Different Experiences in US Undergraduate Medical Education” from the Journal of Graduate Medical Education.
  • Tracy Tylee, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition Program Director, is quoted in “Nonsurgical Option for More Large Thyroid Nodule Patients?” in Medscape.
  • Andrew Wescott, fellow, Cardiology, is the recipient of a 2024 Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Washington Research Foundation. The foundation supports 12 postdocs annually from institutions across Washington state, with the goal to promote innovative discoveries and technologies that lead to the delivery of a new project, service or practice to the public. Dr. Wescott’s project is “Mechanisms of Arrhythmogenic Calcium Release in Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy.”

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: NURF Diversity Town Hall: Why We Do It

by | Oct 11, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

The Network of Underrepresented Residents and Fellows (NURF) began its mission of community outreach, mentorship, recruitment and retention, 14 years ago.  This diverse resident-run group has consistently been a safe harbor community for many of our residents and fellows. I am very proud to sponsor this group with Office of Healthcare Equity.  This month I have invited Dr. Ivonne Beltran Lara to be the guest writer for the DIO blog. 

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Designated Institutional Official

Ivonne Beltran Lara, MD

When I was searching for a residency program, I was looking for a program supportive of individuals underrepresented in medicine and with diverse identities and backgrounds – an institution that fosters diversity and values the integrity of hard work, as well as healthcare equity and inclusion of those who are historically disenfranchised. In 2020, deciphering which institution truly upheld this mission was especially difficult as we were faced with Zoom screens and the lack of human connection. It was the first year that residency interviews went virtual, and applicants would have to rank a list of programs based only on virtual encounters.

Humanity was facing a worldwide pandemic that was wreaking havoc in all communities especially in Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) communities.  The reality of the atrocious effects of inequities and structural racism in our society was on the forefront of every media outlet and in the conversations of everyone. This made it even more important for me to find a residency that would help me thrive and celebrate the various identities I hold: I am a woman, a person of color, a first-generation physician, an immigrant, and a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient. These identities made me the courageous and tenacious person I am today, and yet they are also vulnerabilities in environments where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts are not supported or celebrated.

During the process of my residency interviews, I was introduced to the Network of Underrepresented Residents and Fellows (NURF) at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Through NURF, I met residents and fellows who were part of the different training programs and who identified as underrepresented individuals in medicine (URiM).

I attended the first ever NURF Diversity Town Hall led by Drs. Ashley Eaves (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation) and Joseph Nelson (Family Medicine), NURF’s 2020-2021 President and Vice President, respectively. I was impacted by the leaders who were at the forefront of DEI work and the community that it brought together. The community I met during this town hall surged my interest in UW.  NURF would be the organization and platform through which I could continue DEI work. It would shepherd and strengthen a community I could depend on when presented with challenges that underrepresented physicians experience in a historically exclusionary field.

As a resident, I became an active participant in NURF. For the 2023-2024 academic year, I have the privilege of serving as president of NURF. Dr. Jessica Sher (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, VP of NURF) and I partnered to lead this year’s Diversity Town Hall. We were grateful to have the support of Graduate Medical Education (GME) and the Office of Healthcare Equity (OHCE) once again.

During our town hall, we presented our commitment to anti-racism, healthcare equity, and diversity efforts. We introduced NURF as a community for residency applicants who identify as underrepresented in medicine and their allies. Our purpose is to ensure applicants know that NURF is committed to supporting medical trainees who need a safe space and who are looking for a community they can count on. We are also committed to holding our faculty leaders and the institution accountable to the dire need to recruit and retain diverse trainees and faculty. My hope is that via this Diversity Town Hall, we reassure future URiM residents that we are a network committed to the efforts that allow underrepresented groups in medicine to thrive and will advocate for their success.

Thanks to those who continue their work to support NURF and make this town hall an annual reality. I am continuously proud and inspired by the work my colleagues and past NURF members do to make sure our community continues to be a palpable presence.

Ivonne Beltran Lara, MD
R3, Family Medicine
NURF President 2023-2024

The UW Medicine Huddle recently featured an article on NURF’s 2023 Diversity Town Hall: NURF Hosts Diversity Town Hall.

GME News & Notes: September

by | Sep 21, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra Headshot

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

Sharing our September News & Notes with information about the LeadUp program and Gilliland Award (nominations for both closing soon), PDDS, the fertility benefits survey, the new bike cage at UWMC-NW and a host of other information and opportunities.

I also want to recognize that Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, which started on September 15, celebrates the history, diverse cultures, achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans. September is also National Suicide Prevention Month, a chance to raise awareness of risk factors, provide help for those who may be struggling, and support those affected by the suicide of a loved one.  Please see resources from Forefront Suicide Prevention at UW and a reminder that the GME Wellness Service offers free and confidential counseling for our trainees (including non-ACGME fellows).

 

Thanks,

Cindy

Somos UW Medicine

Policies and Processes

  • Get Ready for Respiratory Virus Season: Masking and Vaccine Information
    • UW Medicine plans to require universal masking in patient care areas during respiratory virus season based on metrics that are being developed with regional health systems.
    • The Employee Health flu vaccine campaign will begin on Sept. 25.
    • Employees should stay home when they have respiratory virus symptoms and also test for COVID-19. If you test positive, you should also complete the UW Medicine Employee Health COVID-19 Contact Tracing Survey. Once you report a positive test, you will immediately receive an email with details about isolation during your illness.
    • For more information about the respiratory virus season, see COVID-19 and the flu this fall (with Dr. John Lynch).
  • 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.
  • Effective July 1, 2023, the GME Meals Policy and SCH Meals Policy have been updated to reflect an increase in meal reimbursement prices.
  • The GME Office and GME Wellness are pleased to announce that as of July 1, 2023, the GME Wellness Service will support our non-ACGME fellows without faculty titles or with an existing counseling relationship.  For those non-ACGME fellows with faculty titles, 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:
    • Daniel Willems, Diagnostic Radiology
  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Matthew Kogut, Interventional Radiology Independent & Interventional Radiology Integrated
    • Pamela Valentino, Pediatric Transplant Hepatology (interim)
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • September 21: IMGs and Visa Sponsorship; slides and recording now available
    • October 19: Resident/Fellow Safety and Support Resources
  • Registration for our Fall Program Director Development Series on Wednesday, September 27 from 12:00 PM – 2:00PM (PST) is now open. Registration will close the evening of September 22. This season we are excited to invite Dr. Chrissy Babcock, Associate Dean and DIO for Graduate Medical Education, and Dr. Vineet Arora, Dean of Medical Education, join us from the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine to present on “Embedding Residents & Fellows into Institutional Learning Environment Initiatives.” Each program is required to have a PD or APD (or, if necessary, a member of the core faculty) attend these virtual events. We also welcome all other faculty and administrators seeking faculty development.
    • Make sure to save the date for our Spring sessions on March 19 and April 8
  • For a variety of upcoming events and resources, please see the NURF newsletter emailed out by Tammy Ramirez on September 13.
  • GME Outreach Event for trainees at SCH on October 5 from 11am to 1 pm.  We encourage trainees to stop by to say hello, meet our GME team members and take a packed lunch.  Please look for an email closer to the event with specific room details. 
  • 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 September and October, including: Annual Program Evaluation deadline, AAMC/GME Track National GME Census, ERAS opening (Sept Cycle), NRMP and SF Match timelines, and October eLearning launch.
  • Have questions about managing your schedule in MedHub? Don’t forget about the resources and recordings available on our GME MedHub website.
  • We are distributing a needs assessment survey to understand better UWSOM learners’ potential utilization of fertility benefits in light of proposed legislation that may impact such coverage. Please access the survey here: UW SOM Trainee Fertility Survey.  The survey will remain open through October 1, 2023.
  • 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. The Nomination deadline has been extended to Sept. 29.
  • Faculty, residents and fellows who use Epic at UW Medicine are strongly encouraged to complete the UW Medicine Epic EHR Satisfaction survey and provide feedback on the Epic application. If you are a clinician that uses Epic regularly, please take 10-12 minutes to provide your feedback on the Epic application by end of day Monday, Sept. 25. To begin the survey, please visit uwehrsurvey.com. You will be asked to enter your name and email to ensure survey responses are valid. At the end of the survey, you can choose to allow your identity to be connected to your responses, which will enable UW Medicine IT Services to link your survey to your actual Epic usage data.  Your responses will be kept strictly confidential. While participation is voluntary, your insights and candid feedback on the efficiency of the Epic application, quality of Epic training, and how Epic use is impacting your daily work/life balance will play a pivotal role in shaping the future improvements to our EHR system.
  • Last October, the GME Office launched a Post-Recruitment Survey for residency and fellowship programs to send to interviewed applicants. The Survey was designed to be followed longitudinally over subsequent recruitments cycles.  As a reminder, we ask programs to include the following message in post-recruitment survey communications to interviewed applicants:  The Graduate Medical Education Office at the University of Washington School of Medicine is conducting a survey of residency and fellowship applicants interviewed during the current recruitment season to assess factors that contributed to ranking decisions.  Results of the survey will help improve the quality of our learning environment.  Please take 1-2 minutes to complete this brief and anonymous survey – https://forms.microsoft.com/r/9WhQckPbZb.
  • The UWMC Department of Public Safety is happy to announce the highly anticipated bike cage on the Northwest campus is ready for use. This secured bicycle storage area is located on the 1st floor, Southeast corner of the parking garage.  The bike locker is complete with racks and simple tools for most of your bicycle needs.  To have access to this bike locker added to your Husky Card, please email either Joshua Kinman at jkinman9@uw.edu or Deborah Wheat at dwheat3@uw.edu.
  • 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.
  • Every year, the UW School of Medicine Alumni Association recognizes exceptional alumni with a series of awards. We encourage UW School of Medicine alumni, faculty, staff and other professional colleagues to nominate alumni for one or more of our awards. All alumni who received a degree from, or completed residency or fellowship training in, a program administered by the UW School of Medicine or one of our academic departments are eligible. Visit the website for full descriptions of the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Alumni Humanitarian Award, the Alumni Service Award and the Alumni Early Achievement Award. Nominations for the 2024 awards are open; you may submit nominations until December 31, 2023 here.
  • UW Medicine Announces Results from Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Survey are available.
  • The GME Office has posted an updated letter from Dr. Joyner for prospective residents and fellows to our GME Prospective Residents & Fellows
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

Dr. Joyner’s Blog September: Vision Fund

by | Sep 8, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

Lead donation from Drs. Paul and Bonnie Ramsey fuels excellence in GME Program and healthcare equity across WWAMI region

 

We are thrilled to share some incredible news that exemplifies the spirit of generosity and dedication to UW Medicine’s mission to improve the health of the public: a $10,000 personal donation from Drs. Paul and Bonnie Ramsey to the Vision Fund for Graduate Medical Education (GME), matched by a $10,000 grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, where Dr. Paul Ramsey is a Trustee Emeritus.

The Vision Fund for GME is an endowed fund at the University of Washington that will distribute annual funding for use across the five-state WWAMI region to advance the programs’ diversity, equity and inclusion programs and related efforts. The mission of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation is to improve health by advancing the education and training of health professionals.

Drs. Paul and Bonnie Ramsey, exemplary healthcare leaders in our community for over 30 years, firmly believe that excellence in the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program is paramount for our institution to progress towards its mission of improving health outcomes for all people. Their vision for the future of medicine has inspired countless physicians, researchers and healthcare professionals throughout their careers, and we are deeply grateful for their commitment and support.

These new funds, combined with gifts from dozens of alumni and friends who have supported the Vision Fund for GME since its inception in 2019, ensure that our GME program will be bolstered, creating a profound ripple effect that will positively impact residency and trainee education. By investing in our trainees’ growth and nurturing the next generation of medical professionals, we can cultivate healthier communities across our region.

Now, we extend an invitation to all members of our community to join in this transformative endeavor. Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference in shaping the future of the University of Washington’s GME programs and improving public health across the WWAMI region. Together, we can strengthen our commitment to excellence and inclusivity, fostering a healthier world for all.

I invite you to join me in making a donation to the Vision Fund for GME online here, or connect with the UW Medicine Advancement Office directly at writemed@uw.edu or 206.543.5686.

Thank you for your continued support and belief in our shared mission to improve the health of the public.

 

With gratitude,

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

 

GME News & Notes: August

by | Aug 28, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

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.
  • 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
    • July 20: ADS Annual Update + Program Oversight; recording and slides available
    • August 17: Canceled
    • September 21: IMGs and Visa Sponsorship
  • 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

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe 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.
  • 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

GME Professionals Day

by | Aug 18, 2023 | Announcements, News

The Association of Hospital Medical Education (AHME) has designated August 18, 2023 as GME Professionals Day.

GME Professionals Day is an opportunity for ACGME Sponsoring Institutions and Residency and Fellowship programs to celebrate the important contributions made by the GME professionals staffing their programs and central GME offices. As defined in the ACGME Common Program Requirements (CPRs), program administrators manage the day-to-day operations of the program and serve as an important liaison with learners, faculty, other staff members, as well as the ACGME.  They serve as members of the leadership team, are critical to the success of the program, must possess skills in leadership and personnel management, and are expected to develop unique knowledge of the ACGME and Program Requirements, policies, and procedures. Sponsoring Institutions and programs are highly dependent on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes GME professionals possess and the dedication they exhibit in supporting the learning environment of the institution, their programs, and the success of their trainees.

And that’s just what the ACGME says.

We see you. We see your partnership with your faculty. We see you at educational sessions within our community – learning, growing, and challenging us with great questions. We hear your ideas. We know that you often serve as a safe and trusted confidante for residents and fellows and support them through the twists and turns of life and training. We see your commitment to planning events to bring people together to repair the disconnection of the pandemic years. We see your attention to deadlines and details, and there are oh-so-many of both in GME. And we know that your work may not be as visible or as visibly celebrated as that of the clinicians in your department.

We see you as experts. You are extraordinary. You truly make it all possible. 

Today, we celebrate and thank each one of you. We look forward to being together in person this coming year.

The UW Graduate Medical Education Office Team

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: Introducing GME’s New Strategic Plan

by | Aug 11, 2023 | Announcements, News

This month, we’re excited to share our new GME Strategic Plan.  Work on this plan has been underway for over a year, and many members of our community have contributed, resulting in what we believe is a robust, trainee-focused, and comprehensive plan.

First, many thanks to our colleagues from across GME, the School of Medicine, and UW Medicine whose feedback and input helped shape this plan.  On behalf of the GME Office, we’re excited to introduce our new Strategic Plan, for academic years 2024-29.

Inverted pyramid graphic titled Recent Process - Iterative Data Analysis. Levels from top are: Emerging Work and Community Input; Alignment across Stakeholder Groups; Inputs: ACGME / UW Medicine; Focus Groups; graphic of people We have been working for over a year collecting input from our community, surveying our local and national landscape, vetting with our team, and requesting feedback from colleagues.  This resulting GME Strategic Plan is intended to integrate with forthcoming UW School of Medicine and UW Medicine strategic plans, once finalized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The overarching structure of the Plan is shaped by six Strategic Values: Advocacy, Communication, Expertise, Integration, People, and Quality & Value.  These values shaped our AY 2020-23 Strategic Plan, and, because we believe so strongly that our values have not changed, we decided to keep them to guide our work. UW GME Office - Strategic Values - AY2024-2029. Advocacy; Communication; Expertise; Integration; People; Quality and Value

 

-200+ training programs (124 ACGME, 4 CODA, 85+ non-ACGME) ->1550 residents and fellows -19 departments, 500+ training sites -1 in 6 physicians at UW Medicine is a resident or fellow -Unionized -UWSOM trains over 65% of Washington state’s physician workforce -AY22: 7th largest SI by number of programs; 9th by number of trainees -GME Team: Accreditation/Education, Finance, Operation/Administration, Quality & Patient Safety GME has a significant footprint in both the School of Medicine, and UW Medicine given that 1 in 6 physicians at UW Medicine is a resident or fellow.

For each of the six Strategic Values, our team has identified several Strategic Initiatives, to define the work we will do over the next six years to promote our values and improve the learning environment.  It’s an ambitious plan.   

Detailed review of Six Strategic Values: Advocacy; Communication; Expertise; Integration; People; Quality and Value

GME Leadership and team members are currently working on an implementation plan – to prioritize integration of this work into the enormous portfolio of work that we do every day to support residents, fellows, programs and departments.  We invite colleagues from our community to join us in this work. In the next few months, we will share opportunities to participate in specific initiatives, but we also welcome your interest. Please reach out to Cindy Hamra (hamrac@uw.edu) if you’re interested in a specific area!

Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about this new GME Strategic Plan, this video featuring Cindy Hamra and Jennifer Best goes into more depth on each of the values, initiatives, and examples of the work to come.

Byron Joyner Headshot

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

Dr. Jennifer Best

Jennifer Best, MD

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra JD, MA

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education

Cindy Hamra, JD, MA
Associate Dean, Operations and Administration

GME News & Notes: July

by | Jul 20, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

A continued welcome this month from the GME Office to the 500+ new residents and fellows who are joining UW School of Medicine to start their clinical training.  Dr. Joyner’s June blog post and The Huddle both celebrate new residents and fellows: Welcome 502 New Trainees.

July is Disability Pride Month, which honors “the history, achievements, experiences and struggles of the disability community in recognition of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society” (see this WholeU article).  The GME Office supports with trainees and programs regarding disability accommodations.  Please reach out to Bre Smith, GME HR Manager, with any questions.

Finally, the Association for Hospital Medical Education has announced that August 18 is GME Professionals Day.  Please take the time to thank colleagues in your departments and programs who support our 200+ graduate medical education programs here at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

The July issue of News & Notes includes lots of important information as we start the new academic year.  If you have information you’d like included, please let me know.

Thanks,

Cindy

Policies and Processes

Program Information

  • Welcome New Program Administrators:
    • Serena Wong, Headache Medicine, Movement Disorders, Neuro-Oncology, and Pediatric Neurocritical Care
  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Elizabeth Gass, Idaho Psychiatry
    • Deepika Nehra, Surgical Critical Care
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • AY24 Lunch and Learn schedule now posted
    • July 20: ADS Annual Update + Program Oversight
    • August 17: TBD
  • UW Medicine Center for Scholarship in Patient Care Quality and Safety has shared the following information about application deadlines for key quality and safety training programs (apply via the Center website):
    • August 3, 2023: Certificate Program in Quality and Safety: Designed for healthcare professionals and teams from all backgrounds. An outstanding development opportunity for your faculty and staff to mentor and execute QI projects.
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Office has posted an updated letter from Dr. Joyner for prospective residents and fellows to our GME Prospective Residents & Fellows page.
  • As of this month, 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.
  • UW Medicine Equity Impact Review Tool The UW Medicine Office of Healthcare Equity has developed an Equity Impact Review Tool to help with decisions about hiring, budgets, policies, procedures, and everyday issues. The tool leads decision-makers through a series of six steps that explicitly identify potential equity issues and initiates a process to produce more equitable outcomes. For more information, please visit the OHCE website.
  • The GME Annual Program Timeline: Please review for important dates for July and August.
  • 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 a Compensation section, which also includes a Comparable Total Compensation Table summarizing how UW total compensation compares with other West Coast Institutions.
  • 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 the recording and slides.

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: Welcome to New Trainees

by | Jul 7, 2023 | Announcements, News

Welcome!

Byron Joyner Headshot

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

Dr. Jennifer Best

Jennifer Best, MD

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra JD, MA

We are excited that you are here to begin the next phase of your medical or dental education with us. Many of you have traveled from around the country – and from around the world – to train at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

We have all faced challenges and uncertainty, especially the last 3 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and racial unrest. Many of you have never been to Seattle and might have questions as to whether this will be the right home for you. As you start your new journey, we want you to know that we are here for you. A world-class faculty and staff are committed to teaching you, providing you skills and feedback along the way. We want you to gain all the experiences you can and have all the learning opportunities you need to do your work. We want you to feel that you are working in a diverse learning environment, one that is inclusive, equitable, and fair.

There will be uncertainty during your training, not only because you will be learning new things about your chosen specialty but because uncertainty challenges you to discover new things about your community and the world.  You will meet your colleagues and find new friends. You will encounter new interdisciplinary teams with whom you will care for patients, and, along the way, you will learn more about yourself.

Matriculating now into your new residency or fellowship program should be an adventure – even for those of you who are UW alumni returning as subspecialty fellows. Our top priority is to offer you the best and safest clinical learning environment so that you can develop the skills, behaviors, and attitudes you will need to be a successful, independent doctor.

You are one of the amazing, high-caliber physicians/dentists training in one of our 200+ residency and fellowship programs. This sets UW apart from other institutions. The new wave of 502 residents and fellows is our largest entering class ever. You represent an exceptional, diverse, and exceedingly qualified member of that class who will enrich each other’s lives and learning experiences. Best of luck to you!

Who you are

Exceptional.

  • In total, you are 502 incoming residents and fellows
  • You are pursuing 118 ACGME accredited specialties, over 85 non-ACGME specialties and 4 dental specialties
  • 295 of you are first year residents

Many US medical school graduates going into your specialty have applied to our UW training programs, and you are among the select few to be admitted to our very competitive programs.

Diverse.

Altogether, you are global citizens who have studied around the world, with an increase in countries represented since last academic year:

 

23% BORN OUTSIDE THE US 44 COUNTRIES REPRESENTED51 GRADUATED FROM MEDICAL OR DENTAL SCHOOL OUTSIDE THE U.S.

You show diversity in gender identity, representing an increase in female and non-binary trainees:

46% Male 1% Non-binary 53% Female

This is no accident. Diversity and inclusion are core values of UW Graduate Medical Education.

Qualified.

66 GRADUATED FROM UW MEDICAL SCHOOL126 HAVE ADDITIONAL DEGREES 39 M.S. Degrees 31 PhD Degrees 28 MPH Degrees 10 M.A. Degrees 18 Other Degrees

Where you are:

Graduate Medical Education (GME).  GME programs sponsored by the UW School of Medicine are designed to train skillful physicians with ingrained habits of life-long learning and well-formed ethical and professional modes of practice.

UW Medicine. Among nearly 871 institutions, UW Medicine ranks seventh in the number of programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and ninth in the number of trainees.

Looking at the number for the 2023-2024 academic year:

124 ACGME PROGRAMS 4 CODA PROGRAMS 90 NON-ACGME PROGRAMS 1403 ACGME TRAINEES 108 NON-ACGME TRAINEES 44 CODA TRAINEES

Although trainees most commonly rotate at Harborview Medical Center, the University of Washington Medical Center-Montlake & Northwest, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the Veteran’s Administration, we partner with over 500 training sites throughout the WWAMI region – and the world – so you can have the best training.

VA 700+ Harborview Medical Center 1300+ UWMC-ML 1200+ UWMC-NW 150+ Seattle Children's Hospital 800+ *# of trainees that rotated through each site in AY23 based on rotation assignments

Who we are

GME Office. In partnership with many members of the learning community, we are responsible for the administrative oversight and academic quality of UW’s residency and clinical fellowship programs. Most importantly, we are here for you. Please contact any of us with questions, comments, or concerns. (http://gme.washington.edu/).

 

Congratulations and thank you!

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education

Cindy Hamra, JD, MA
Associate Dean, Operations and Administration

From The Huddle: Welcome 502 New Trainees

by | Jun 21, 2023 | Announcements, News, Sticky

As the new academic year begins, 502 new residents and fellows are joining UW Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs to further their medical and dental training.

Graduate medical education refers to the period of education in a particular specialty (residency) or subspecialty (fellowship) following medical or dental school. Here, trainees work in hundreds of different programs, from emergency medicine and surgery to lesser-known specialties such as nuclear medicine and headache medicine.

One in six physicians at UW Medicine is a resident or fellow, and over 100 graduating residents and fellows accept faculty roles within UW Medicine each year.

“It is always a pleasure to welcome new residents and fellows to our UW Medicine family. Every year, we look forward to training the next generation of exceptional physicians and to their many contributions to our patients — and to improving the health of all people,” says Byron Joyner, MD, vice dean for Graduate Medical Education and a Designated Institutional Official.

Read more >

GME News & Notes: June

by | Jun 23, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

First, a sincere welcome from the GME Office to the 500+ new residents and fellows who are joining UW School of Medicine to start their clinical training.  GME hosted New Resident and Fellow Orientation on Wednesday to kick off the new academic year.  The Huddle also featured an article about our new residents and fellows: Welcome 502 New Trainees.

We also want to wish our graduating residents and fellows the best as they move to the next stages of their careers.

June is Pride Month, when we celebrate the history, diversity and contributions of LGBTQIA people in the United States.  For more about the history of Pride Month and what how UW Medicine does to honor and recognize the month (including digital assets and posters) please see the recent feature in The Huddle, as well as a spotlight on transgender voices from The Whole U.

The June 2023 edition of News & Notes has a lot of information about ongoing projects, new and updated policies, and pending events.

Thanks,

Cindy

Pride UW Medicine Logo

Policies and Processes

  • *New* GME Grant Funding Policy: The GME Office received feedback from our residents and fellows that late and/or conflicting information about grant funding availability and impacts has caused confusion and frustration. In response, we have developed a new Grant Funding Policy to centralize information and guidance that currently exists across multiple sources. 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.
  • Learn More About Medical Regulation: The Federation of State Medical Boards has developed a series of educational modules to help medical students and residents learn about medical regulation before they begin their careers in medicine. The series includes:
  • 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! This webpage includes detailed information about important UW GME onboarding and orientation information. Additional pages with helpful information for trainees as they complete the onboarding process:
  • 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.

Program Information

  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Ania Lang, Allergy & Immunology (ACGME)
    • Evelyn Hsu, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, (ACGME – Interim)
  • 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.
    • Grant Funding Policy (see above)
    • Scheduling and Boarders Policy
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • GME Lunch & Learns
    • AY24 Lunch and Learn schedule now posted
    • July 20: ADS Annual Update + Program Oversight
  • GME Outreach Event for trainees at HMC on June 30th from 11am to 1 pm. We encourage trainees to stop by to say hello, meet our GME team members and take a packed lunch.  Please look for an email closer to the event with specific room details.
  • The Institute for Common Power in partnership and the University of Washington Department of Medicine will be holding their quarterly Diversity Lecture series on Tuesday, June 29th from 12:00pm PST to 1:00pm PST (3:00pm EST to 4:00pm EST). Please join for “The History and Future of Black Physicians in Medicine” with Dr. Walter Conwell, Morehouse School of Medicine. Learn more and RSVP.
  • UW Medicine Center for Scholarship in Patient Care Quality and Safety has shared the following information about application deadlines for three key quality and safety training programs (apply via the Center website):
    • June 30, 2023: QI Scholars Program: Competitive yearlong advanced training; designed for junior and mid-career faculty pursuing QI as a scholarly focus.
    • June 30, 2023: GME Quality & Safety Foundations Course: Open to any UW Medicine GME program—helps meet ACGME requirements for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety.
    • August 3, 2023: Certificate Program in Quality and Safety: Designed for healthcare professionals and teams from all backgrounds. An outstanding development opportunity for your faculty and staff to mentor and execute QI projects.
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Annual Program Timeline: Please review for important dates for June and July.
  • 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 a Compensation section, which also includes a Comparable Total Compensation Table summarizing how UW total compensation compares with other West Coast Institutions.
  • 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 the recording and slides.

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: June

by | Jun 2, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Jennifer Best

Jennifer Best, MD

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra JD, MA
Byron Joyner Headshot

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

 

Dear Graduating Residents and Fellows,

 

Longer days and the reemerging sunshine are reminders that we are nearing the end of another academic year. For you, this year brings a remarkable accomplishment – completion of the residency and/or fellowship training that brought you to the University of Washington.

Simply put, thank you. Thank you for trusting UW Medicine with your development. Thank you for your commitment to learning, despite the crises of the pandemic and societal unrest. Thank you, most of all, for the big and small ways you cared for your patients – and for one another – in these trying times.

May the coming weeks bring meaningful celebrations with your colleagues, your faculty and staff, and those that you love.

On behalf of the GME team, it is a privilege to tell you how proud we are of each of you. We join your programs in honoring the many gifts you will offer the world. Your future is bright!

 

Congratulations!

 

Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education

 

Cindy Hamra, JD
Associate Dean, Operations and Administration

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

GME News & Notes: May

by | May 19, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

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

Celebrating Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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 Reque​st 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
  • 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

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: Survey Matters

by | May 4, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

This month, I’ve invited Hadar Duman, GME Director of Accreditation, to share her thoughts about the importance of the annual ACGME Resident and Faculty Surveys.

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Designated Institutional Official

 

 

 

Headshot of Hadar Duman

Hadar Duman, MHI Director of Accreditation

The 2023 ACGME Survey results are out! As an accreditation enthusiast, I am filled with excitement. The Surveys are an annual assessment of the experiences and opinions of residents, fellows, and faculty in ACGME-accredited programs. They serve as a vital tool for the ACGME to monitor and improve the quality of graduate medical education, expand the scope of trainees’ input in the accreditation process, and make annual accreditation and policy decisions based on systematic data collection and analysis. These Surveys also give us an opportunity to make changes based on the feedback we receive. The ACGME has been administrating the survey since 2004, and it was revised twice, in 2011 and 2020, to reflect current requirements. The Surveys’ importance has only increased over the years. This is especially true since the move to the Next Accreditation System (NAS) in 2011, when the frequency of site visits was reduced to once per decade. Absent of site visits, ACGME increased their reliance on survey data to make accreditation decisions.

However, despite the high stakes of the survey, the ACGME keeps the survey questions confidential. Programs do their best to prepare trainees and faculty so they understand the meaning of the questions and content areas, but the truth is that programs go at it blind. This leaves the task of interpreting the questions to survey takers and they may get it wrong at times.

For example, in a recent conversation I had at a national conference with a Program Director of a military-based program, I learned that, despite his best efforts, trainees often interpret “service” in questions related to the “Appropriate balance between education and patient care” item as their military service, and automatically respond that service takes precedent, leading to citations.

The 2023 ACGME survey window closed on April 9, 2023, and all 118 programs in our institution scheduled to take the survey reached the required 70% completion rate, thanks to the participants’ efforts. We are grateful to all of you who participated in the 2023 ACGME survey. Your valuable feedback enables us to improve the overall clinical learning environment in our institution. Thanks to you we can identify struggling programs and offer support through the Special Review process. Through which we have been able to advocate and obtain more Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) for services in need, address issues of faculty professionalism, enhance resources such as sleep and lactation facilities, and much more. Thanks to you, we can also identify institutional trends that we need to work on. A good example is the recent launch of the “Prioritizing Ourselves When Fatigued” refresher, an eLearning module we created in response to scoring below our expectations on the item “Instruction on minimizing effects of sleep deprivation”.

On the flip side of all of this, when the survey goes unfilled, it leaves the ACGME without the necessary data to make decisions, leading to extended citations, issuing of new citations, and denying program expansion requests.

As you consider your feedback and review this year’s survey results, keep in mind the following ways in which you can help improve your program and the quality of our learning environment:

  • Take the ACGME survey every year. Your feedback is crucial!
  • Advocate for change in your program. If you identify areas that need improvement, share your concerns with your program director, other leaders in your program or UW GME through our Report a Concern
  • Get involved in your program’s quality improvement efforts. All programs are required to conduct an annual program evaluation. Get involved and help to make your program the best it can be.

Thank you for your commitment to the continuous improvement of graduate medical education. The data suggest we could not do it without you!

 

 

GME News & Notes: April

by | Apr 21, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

Opening April’s News & Notes as I try to do, with some reasons to celebrate.  First, our programs and departments are celebrating our match results, and we are excited to welcome our new trainees to UWSOM this summer.  We also note that April is National Arab American Heritage Month, another opportunity recognize the diverse members of our community.

In the GME Office, we’re excited to welcome two new team members: Chris Gibson has joined the GME Accreditation team as our new Affiliations and Agreements Specialist and Amy Wheat joins the Wellness team in an interim capacity as a new counselor.  More information is below.

We are also excited about the news that Dr. Santiago Neme has accepted the position of UWMC-ML Medical Director.  Dr. Neme completed his Internal Medicine residency, Infectious Diseases Fellowship and Master’s in Public Health here at UWSOM.  He will step in for Dr. Tom Staiger, who is retiring.  Both are really wonderful colleagues and true advocates for our trainees.

April’s News & Notes is full of events, reminders and resources.

Thanks,

Cindy

UW Medicine Pride Flag

Policies and Processes

  • 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 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.
  • 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:
    • Meena Ramchandani, Infectious Disease fellowship
    • Nelson Chiu, Family Medicine Seattle & Family Medicine Chelan Track residencies (interim)
    • Paul Swanson, Surgical Pathology fellowship (interim)
    • Yongjun Liu, Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Pathology fellowship (interim)
    • Jose Garcia, Advanced Geriatric Medicine fellowship
    • Betty Zhang, Advanced Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease fellowship
    • Claire Sandstrom, Emergency Radiology fellowship
  •  The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • Upcoming GME Lunch & Learns
    • April 20: GMEPAC Process for AY25; recording and slides now available
    • May 18: Final Evaluations & Training Verifications + GME Strategic Plan
    • June 15: Cancelled; Please join us again on July 20th
  • This year’s Scheduling Workshop will be taking on a new format! Join Allison Shults to refresh and enhance your MedHub scheduling skills as you prep for the upcoming academic year. Three optional sessions will be held to provide PAs and PDs the flexibility to tailor your attendance to suit your current comfort level – attend them all or pick and choose:
    • Scheduling 101: May 2nd | 10:00am – 11:30am: This session covers scheduling fundaments, including an overview of billing guidelines & FTE, using the New Schedule Task Wizard to create your schedule for the upcoming academic year, creating and editing a service/activity, and creating and assigning shifts/calls.
    • Scheduling 102: May 3rd | 10:00am – 11:00am: Attend this session to learn how you can leverage the Conference Import Wizard, create conferences from scratch, and create and assign continuity clinics.
    • Scheduling 103: May 4th | 10:00am – 11:00am: During this session we’ll discuss managing and approving absences and leave requests within MedHub, as well as some of the MedHub reports that will help your schedule management: the Resident Scheduling Errors, Resident Absence Details, and Billing vs Budgeted report.
    • RSVP is not required, and we hope to see many of you there! Please refer to the Save-the-Date email for Zoom links, or reach out to Allison at ashults@uw.edu with any questions.
  • Housestaff Event: “You are not Broken: Cultivating Healthy Sexuality During Training.” 6:30-8:00pm on Thursday, May 18th  All residents and fellows are encouraged to attend via Zoom. Registration is now open and will close on Tuesday, May 16th. Register today.
  • Tim Dellit, Interim CEO, UW Medicine; Interim Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs; and Interim Dean of the School of Medicine, would like trainees to know that the School of Medicine is now beginning their listening sessions as the first step in the SOM strategic planning process. These sessions will be open forums for trainees to share their thoughts and will be led by consultants.  There are several options available for different cohorts of the community as the group wants to hear the voices from all parts of our School of Medicine.  The majority of these will be via Zoom to make participation easier. There will also be an opportunity for written input later in the spring and the group will be joining some standing meetings (e.g., NURF, CMFA) to gather input.  See email from April 29, 2023.
  • Please join the annual UWNURF/HQSC Health Equity Conference via Zoom on Monday, May 8 from 7:00 – 8:00 PM PST. This year’s presentation is Improving Care of Unhoused Patients.  Please register and share with others.  All are invited to participate.
  • Call To Action: Menstrual Product Donations – In honor of Women’s History Month, Dr. Sãdé Rodriguez and the Seattle Children’s GME office are partnering with Seattle Children’s Food Security program and Seattle Towers of Tampons & Pyramids of Pads (T2P2) to collect menstrual products for people who cannot afford them. Dr. Rodriguez is a pediatric resident at Seattle Children’s, and is invested in addressing this urgent equity gap for patients, families, and the community. Learn more about how you can donate on CHILD.
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Annual Program Timeline: Please review for important dates for April and May.
  • A reminder that residents and fellows can access CareLink, UW’s employee assistance program. UW CareLink is the employee assistance program provided for PEBB benefits-eligible UW employees, their dependents, and other household members. Initial services are provided at no cost, and the call is toll-free. UW CareLink is available nationwide 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • The Human Subjects Division is launching a pilot project to offer drop-in Zoom office hours to student/resident researchers in April and May 2023. Their office receives many IRB applications from a wide variety of UW students, and often find that students of all levels would benefit from additional support in navigating the IRB process from the beginning. Go to their HSD Office Hours webpage for the schedule and Zoom information.
  • The UW Health Sciences Library has announced a new institutional license for Covidence, a popular online platform for evidence synthesis projects including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and more. This new license is available to all UW faculty, staff, and students and is made possible in partnership with the UW Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Social Work. From April 24-27 the UW Libraries is offering Research Data Management Planning, an asynchronous online workshop for UW community members engaged in research with data.
  • As part of a new initiative at UWSOM called Virtual Bedside Concerts (VBC), we are looking to recruit volunteer musicians who are interested in performing virtual concerts for patients in the hospital. Any and all instruments are welcome, we just ask that you have a documented history of music training and feel comfortable playing music for and interacting with patients over zoom. There are no hourly requirements, you can sign up to perform as many or as few concerts as your schedule allows. Our only requirements are that volunteers attend a virtual orientation session and officially register with our designated hospital volunteer programs before getting started. If you are interested or have any questions, feel free to reach out to vbcorg@uw.edu.
  • Submit your 55 word story! When the pandemic began, two faculty members, Molly Jackson and Andrea Kalus, launched a 55-word story campaign in collaboration with the Well-Being team to capture the emotions and feelings of the moment through short vignettes. As a way of marking this moment, of three years with COVID-19 in our lives, UW Medicine Well-Being invites you to reflect on where you have been and where you are now through the creation of your own 55-word story. Share your three-year reflections in 55 words (or less) with our community here.
  • 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.
  • Set your pronouns in Identity.UW: You can now display your pronouns in UW systems such as MyUW, Zoom and soon Canvas and MyUW class lists when you click “Set pronouns” in Identity.UW.
  • 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

  • Emergency Medicine residents are featured in UW EM Residents Team Up with UW Law Students for Novel Medicolegal Workshop.
  • Axel Adams, Emergency Medicine R4, received the Resident Academic Achievement Award from the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine.
  • Alwiya Ahmed, Internal Medicine resident, is lead author and Matthew Triplette, associate professor, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, is senior author of “Delays in Recommended Follow-up after Positive Findings in Lung Cancer Screening” in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Department of Medicine co-author is Kristina Crothers.
  • Maheetha Bharadwaj, Urology resident, is featured in ‘Volunteer-Led Virtual Bedside Concert Program Thrives’ in The Huddle.
  • Joey Chiang, internal medicine resident,, is co-author of “Population-Level Health Effects of Involuntary Displacement of People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness Who Inject Drugs in US Cities” in JAMA.
  • Fiona Gallahue, Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director, received the Michael P. Wainscott Program Director Award from the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine.
  • Chris Gibson has joined the GME Office as our new Affiliations and Agreements Specialist as of March 20, 2023. Chris joins our team after serving as a Research Manager at Ducharme, McMillen & Associates. During his tenure, he oversaw compliance matters that spanned multiple jurisdictions, led a team of research analysts, provided mentorship and training to team members, and managed an online platform and information database for managing international tax matters. Additionally, Chris recently earned a Master of Public Health degree.
  • Fuki Hisama, Medical Genetics and Genomics Program Director, has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) for a six-year term. She has served on the board of directors of the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG), the Program Committee of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, and the Medical Genetics Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education.
  • Ellora Karmarkar, Infectious Diseases fellow, is quoted in “Deadly fungus spreading in U.S. with approximately 60% mortality” in MyNorthwest.
  • Hannah Linden, Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Associate Program Director, is lead author of “Can Molecular Imaging Find a Path to Navigate Evolving Breast Cancer Treatments?” in Clinical Cancer Research.
  • Manoj Menon, Hematology and Oncology Program Director, has been appointed holder of the Scripps Endowed Professorship in Hematology..
  • Somnath Mookherjee, Academic Hospitalist Fellowship Program Director, is the 2023 recipient of the Society of Hospital Medicine Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes outstanding teaching prowess and mentoring to other hospitalists, residents, medical students, or other healthcare professionals.
  • Santiago Neme has accepted the position of UWMC Medical Director. Neme is a dedicated, collaborative leader, who champions change. He is a very talented clinical faculty member who is well positioned to lead us through the health care challenges we face today. Dr. Neme’s appointment will begin July 1st, 2023. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Neme.
  • Anzela Niraula, Endocrinology fellow, is lead author, and Joshua Thaler, associate professor, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, is senior author of “Prostaglandin PGE2 Receptor EP4 Regulates Microglial Phagocytosis and Increases Susceptibility to Diet-Induced Obesity” in Diabetes. Department of Medicine co-authors are Kelly Ness, Jeremy Frey, Sophia Cuschieri, and Mauricio Dorfman.
  • Robin Stiller, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine fellow, is lead author and Tyler Albert, associate professor (General Internal Medicine) is senior author of “Responsibilities of Internal Medicine Chief Residents in the Modern Era: A National Survey” in ATS Scholar. Department of Medicine co-authors are Gabrielle Berger, Başak Çoruh, and Paul Cornia.
  • Aiming to better predict who is at greatest risk for checkpoint inhibitor-induced hepatitis, Erica Storm, internal medicine resident, and colleagues conducted a retrospective case-control study of adults who newly received checkpoint inhibitor therapies for a variety of solid organ malignancies between 2016 and 2020 at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Storm identified 97 cases of Grade 2-4 immune-related hepatitis. After adjusting for other factors that could contribute to risk of hepatitis, a liver cirrhosis was found to be associated with lower risk of immune-related hepatitis. In contrast, the presence of cancer metastases within the liver was associated with higher risk. Learn more on the Internal Medicine residency website.
  • Joshua Thaler, Associate Program Director for Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition fellowship, is quoted in “Is Antihistamine Use Making Me Gain Weight?” from The Huddle.
  • Amy Wheat joins the GME Wellness team this month as a new, interim wellness counselor. Amy brings her unique perspective as a therapist, as well as her life experience of being partnered with a physician. Read more about Amy here. Trainees can make appointments with Amy on Schedulicity.
  • Bessie Young, Vice Dean of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for UWSOM, is quoted in “Celebrating (But Not Touching) Black Women’s Hair” in The Huddle.

Dr. Joyner’s Blog April: Celebrating our Match Results

by | Apr 7, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

This month, we celebrate the incoming class of trainees who will join us this summer! For the third year in a row, our residency and fellowship programs virtually recruited the best and the brightest medical students from around the country – and the world!  This year, 84 of our 200+ total ACGME and non-ACGME training programs participated in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) and 23 participated in the San Francisco Match.

Both the NRMP Main Residency and Specialties Matches were the largest on record, with 40,375 positions available in the Main Residency Match and 13,365 positions in the Specialties Match.  This year was also our largest Match at UWSOM with 299 positions offered in the Main match and 191 in the Specialties Match.

Main Residency Match

  • In the Main Residency Match, the 26 participating UWSOM residency programs had a match rate of 98.7% (and 99.3% after the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, or SOAP) compared to 93.3% nationally.
  • From 2019-2022 we saw small year-to-year decreases in the number of UWSOM graduates matching to our residency programs. This year, we matched 56 UWSOM graduates (an increase of 17 from 2022) or 19% of our matched applicants.
  • Nationally, the number of matched US MD seniors, US DO seniors, US citizen IMGs, and non-US citizen IMGs increased from last year. The number of unmatched US MD seniors to PGY-1 positions decreased again this year, a two-year trend.

Specialties Matching Program

  • In the Specialties (fellowship) Match, the 58 participating UWSOM fellowship programs offered 191 positions with a match rate of 91.6% compared to 86.4% nationally. Another 10 positions have been filled post-Match.
  • 41 of the 175 spots filled in the Match were filled by UWSOM residents, a slight decrease from 2022.
  • Nationally, the number of matched UW MD graduates, US DO graduates, US citizen IMGs, and non-US citizen IMGs increased from last year.

 

The past three years have been difficult, but UWSOM programs continue to have strong match results and we remain a very competitive training institution, as reflected by the 5-year trends below:

Increasing Diversity in our Training Programs

UW Medicine is creating a healthcare system that works for everyone. To that end, it is essential that we prioritize diversifying the medical workforce. This is not just a moral imperative. It is a practical one, as diversity can lead to better health outcomes and a more effective healthcare system overall.

This year our programs reported increases in both Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), as well as Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) candidates who matched in our medical and dental programs. As we work together to increase and, more importantly, sustain inclusivity and diversity in our workforce, we can continue to provide better equity of patient care in our community.

I want to congratulate program and department leadership, residents and fellows, and the Network of Underrepresented Residents and Fellows (NURF) for their tremendous efforts in our journey to diversify our learning community. For the third year, the GME Office and NURF hosted Town Halls to help our programs attract underrepresented and vulnerable minority candidates. One of the NURF Town Halls had more than 600 participants.

Below is this year’s representation of BIPOC, URM and women who have historically been minoritized in Medicine, as reported by our departments.

Department BIPOC URM Women
Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine 39.0% 7.0% 14.0%
Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine 12.5% 25.0% 25.0%
Family Medicine 60.0% 20.0% 60.0%
Laboratory Medicine and Pathology 9.56% 8.82% 52.41%
Medicine 41.8% 15.4% 42.4%
Obstetrics & Gynecology 85.0% 42.0% 100.0%
Ophthalmology 80.0% 20.0% 40.0%
Otolaryngology 75.0% 25.0% 0.0%
Pediatrics 51.0% 15.0% 68.0%
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 0.0% 9.0% 36.0%
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences 33.5% 6.0% 64.2%
Surgery 44.0% 19.0% 88.0%
Urology 25.0% 25.0% 100.0%

*See 2022 results and 2021 results

All members of our community, including the department chairs, residents and fellows, program directors and administrators, faculty, and staff, worked together to produce these excellent results. Especially during these challenging times, it is critical that we cultivate an environment where everyone feels safe and as though they belong, an environment in which everyone can be successful.

Congratulations and thank you!

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

 

GME News & Notes: March

by | Mar 24, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

This month brings lots of great celebrations – first, last Friday was Match Day.  It’s been fun to talk with programs and hear their excitement about our matched residents and fellows.  We look forward to onboarding and welcoming them to the University of Washington!

In the GME Office, we welcome two new team members.  Bethany Griffitts is our new Fiscal Specialist on the Finance Team and Chris Gibson is the new Affiliations and Agreements Specialist on the Accreditation Team.  If you’re not sure who to contact about a GME related question, check out the Our Team page.

A few other notes and reminders.  Ramadan started on March 22 – the Info by Training Site page includes information about prayer / meditation spaces and other resources.  Spring is also the time when UW’s cherry blossoms begin to bloom.  Finally, March is Women’s History Month – check out this article by UW Medicine’s Office of Healthcare Equity featuring lesser known healthcare sector pioneers and this article in UW Huddle where women share their experiences in male-dominated fields.

Thanks,

Cindy

Policies and Processes

  • The GMEC approved revisions to the following policies at the March meeting. All are posted on the Policies and Procedures page of the GME website.
    • Annual Program Evaluation: Revisions include alignment with the upcoming changes to the ACGME’s Common Program requirements (CPRs) scheduled to take effect in July 2023; addition of a Purpose statement; process section updated to reflect the new language that requires a review of outcomes from prior APEs, program evaluations by trainees and faculty, and allows flexibility in the data elements reviewed; added that tracking Workforce diversity also needs to include staff and community members; and added Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to CLER questions
    • Eligibility and Selection Policy: Revisions include minor changes to reflect new CPRs effective July 2023; under Program Policies, grouped requirements as specialty-specific and UW specific and moved selective service and NIH grant restrictions up from footnote; moved footnote addressing program communication to applicants of changes to salary and benefits with grant funding up into Interview and Selection section.
    • Visa Policy: Revisions include updating Scope to apply to programs (not trainees) and changed non-accredited training programs to ACGME Non-Standard Training (NST) Programs.  Amended footnote to include definition of an NST program; added Purpose statement to align with format of other GME policies; and updated J-1 section to reflect changes under new ACGME NST requirements
  • 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 both the program and trainee through the process.
  • Due to decreasing COVID case counts and hospitalizations, effective Tuesday, March 7th the UW Medicine Required and Extended-use Mask Policy was updated with the following changes:
    • Respirators are no longer required for all aerosol generating procedures. Respirators continue to be strongly recommended, in addition to other personal protective equipment (PPE), to prevent the acquisition and transmission of COVID and other respiratory viruses during these procedures. Respirators, in addition to other PPE, continue to be required for the care of all patients with known or suspected COVID-19. Respirators will continue to be provided to all staff who choose to use them.
    • Physical distancing and masking are no longer required in breakrooms, team rooms, multi-person offices, conference rooms, and similar rooms isolated from patient care spaces by a door or away from patient care spaces. Using a mask or respirator in those spaces continues to be strongly recommended.
    • Masks or respirators continue to be required in all patient care spaces, public spaces ( hallways, elevators, and cafeterias), and during all patient care and visitor interactions. Please ensure you have a mask or respirator on when entering and leaving patient care buildings. Masks may also be required by Employee Health following a high-risk exposure or recent COVID-19 infection.All healthcare workers should continue to wear the highest level of respiratory protection that they can tolerate as they may encounter people with asymptomatic COVID or other respiratory infections. Wearing a mask or respirator also protects those around you in case of asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic COVID infection.

Program Information

  • Welcome New Program Administrators:
    • Lanie Cueva, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
    • Taraneh Moll, Clinical Informatics
    • Keely Peddycord, Child Neurology
  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Rebecca Petersen, General Surgery Residency
    • Ari Pollack, Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship
    • Christopher Burke, Advanced Cardiac Surgery Fellowship [Non-ACGME]
    • Rebecca Ronsley, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Fellowshipb [Non-ACGME]
  •  The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • Upcoming GME Lunch & Learns
    • March 16: Annual Program Evaluations; recording and slides now available
    • April 20: GMEPAC Process for AY25
    • May 18: Final Evaluations & Training Verifications + Additional Topics
  • GME Onboarding Drop-in Session: For additional support for program administrators, please find below a schedule for the upcoming informational drop-in session. This is designed to help programs with our various onboarding processes and answer any questions, in a casual and virtual format. 
    • GME Onboarding Drop-in Session #2
      • Date: Wednesday, March 29
      • Time: 9-10am
      • Zoom
      • RSVP: Not required
      • Tentative Talking Points include: Guided instruction on MedHub functions (Adding, Advancing, Terminating/Graduating); Onboarding packages (How to monitor resident and fellow status); What’s on the horizon for April and beyond; and time for Q&A.
  • Cherry Blossom run/walk celebration at UW – March 25th (5k run/walk) and 26th (half-marathon). Space limited – register soon! See full calendar of events: Cherry Blossom Activities at the Burke! The cherry blossoms at the UW campus are a seasonal tradition and celebration for the entire region. This year’s colder-than-usual spring is demanding a little more patience. Mark your calendars for a peak bloom expected in early April.
  • GME Outreach Event for trainees at SCH on April 14th from 11 am to 1 pm. We encourage trainees to stop by to say hello, meet our GME team members and take a packed lunch. Please look for an email closer to the event with specific room details.
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Annual Program Timeline: Please review for important dates for March and April.
  • The UW Professional Staff Organization (PSO) has launched the new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Excellence Award which seeks to highlight professional staff currently working at the UW. Nominees include those who have demonstrated a deep commitment to the advancement of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging work directly within the UW and/or their local communities. Nominations are due April 15.
  • The January 2023 DIO Blog featuring the work of the Care of Patients Experiencing Incarceration (CPEI) Task Force and Learning Gateway has been updated with the new Caring for Patients Experiencing Incarceration guide.
  • Submit your 55 word story! When the pandemic began, two faculty members, Molly Jackson and Andrea Kalus, launched a 55-word story campaign in collaboration with the Well-Being team to capture the emotions and feelings of the moment through short vignettes. As a way of marking this moment, of three years with COVID-19 in our lives, UW Medicine Well-Being invites you to reflect on where you have been and where you are now through the creation of your own 55-word story. Share your three-year reflections in 55 words (or less) with our community here.
  • The Health Equity, Advocacy, and Anti-Racism (HEAAR) Curriculum for the Internal Medicine Residency Program has been introduced by Drs. Lynsey Bernfeld, Hasib Yousufzai, Anna Morenz, Ryan Abe, Helen Jack and Anders Chen. HEAAR is a comprehensive, multi-tiered, and inter-professional curricular thread embedded into the residency program with the goal of learning principles of anti-oppression and using those frameworks to understand and address the structural origins of health inequities. Learn more on the Department of Medicine news site.
  • Dr. Jennifer Best, Associate Dean of GME, wishes to highlight Dr. Carrie Cunnigham’s deeply personal and important President’s Address at the AAS Academic Surgical Congress.  In the 45 minute video, Dr. Cunningham discusses the mental health crisis impacting our community, reflecting on her lived experiences.  Dr. Best notes that, “it’s a message I think all of us need to hear.”
  • 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.
  • Set your pronouns in Identity.UW: You can now display your pronouns in UW systems such as MyUW, Zoom and soon Canvas and MyUW class lists when you click “Set pronouns” in Identity.UW.
  • A new opt-in module from Learning Gateway is now available. Prioritizing Ourselves When Fatigued is a 5 minute module 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 review the recording and slides.

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: GME Strategic Planning

by | Mar 10, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Jennifer Best

Jennifer Best, MD

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra JD, MA
Byron Joyner Headshot

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

 
Exciting times are afoot within the GME Office!

Now to be fair, our team finds all the work we do exciting, but at this moment we are working to finalize our GME Strategic Plan for AY2024 to 2029. In this edition of the Blog, we would like to provide our community with an overview of work to date and what you might expect moving forward.

 

How Our Community Has Informed The Process

You may recall that in July 2022, we sent a survey to our community and stakeholders, including our residents and fellows, program directors and administrators, department administrators, chairs, and leaders of UW Medicine. Our goal here was to “broaden the circle” of voices, as compared with previous iterations of strategic planning. We appreciated hearing from many of you within the context of this SWOT (Strengths / Weaknesses / Opportunities / Threats) analysis about the work we accomplished related to our prior strategic plan and where there is work still to do.

 

How We Analyzed The Data

A group of GME team members sat with those results to identify themes for each group of stakeholders, with specific attention to themes identified by multiple groups as important priorities. Knowing that our work must be aligned with broader systems, the second step involved evaluated mapping this narrower list of themes against “inputs” that we felt would raise their priority moving forward, including UW Medicine strategy, our Equity Blueprint, ACGME requirements, and our own sense of emerging priority areas that has evolved as we engage each day with individuals, programs, and departments.

 

Emergent Priority Areas

Our previous strategic plan was predicated on list of key values that drove our work. Because we believe this has been an effective way to share our goals internally and externally, we will be communicating our new strategic plan on these same Strategic Values. At a high level, the following areas have emerged as key for AY24-29

 

ADVOCACY​

Does everyone in our community have what they need to do their jobs and feel valued? How do we help programs avoid accreditation threats? Can GME fund the work it wants to do?

COMMUNICATION​

Do members of the GME community feel connected with one another? Do we learn from one another and avoid reinventing the wheel?

EXPERTISE​

How do we create standards where they haven’t existed before? How do maximize our use of technology? How can we come to be seen as the standard for GME?

INTEGRATION​

How do we help programs to anticipate and respond to the shifts in clinical needs? How do we do more with limited resources? How do we support UW Medicine’s goals of serving the region?

PEOPLE​

How do we bring, grow, and keep the right people, doing the right work? How do we create an environment in which all members can reach full potential? How do we heal and care for our community?

QUALITY AND VALUE​

Can we be more strategic in data collection and reporting? How do we effectively “speak the language” of decision-makers when advocating for resources? How can we raise the visibility of learning environment needs that are common across programs and departments?

 

What’s Next?

We are vetting a draft of the Strategic Plan within the GME Office, including careful thought about how we will know we are making progress (What are our key performance indicators and outcomes?) We plan to bring a draft back to some members of the broader community that identified a desire to participate in a focus group with the plan to present the plan to the Graduate Medical Education Committed (GMEC) and share the final plan more broadly with our stakeholders – including you – in May and June.

 

This is important work – work that will take all of us. The worlds of clinical care, health professions education and GME are complex, and always shifting, as is the world around us. Thank you for the privilege of working on your behalf as your partners in this next season.

 

Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education

 

Cindy Hamra, JD
Associate Dean, Operations and Administration

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

Thank You to our Residents and Fellows, From the Bedside

by | Feb 24, 2023 | Announcements, News

Photo collage of trainees

On this Thank A Resident Day, the UW GME team wishes to express our wholehearted gratitude for the many ways that residents and fellows enhance our community by bringing their best to challenging circumstances, supporting one another and working diligently to learn, grow and inspire change.

Yet there may be no better way, perhaps, to honor our trainees’ impact than by sharing the words of patients whose lives they improve each day. For these individuals, the work of residents and fellows is never unnoticed. These are just some of the recent comments received by UW Medicine. It is a privilege to receive and share them.

The resident helping me is a rockstar – very warm, helpful, informative, comforting and insightful.

I could have seen someone else saying, “You’ll need another appt. for all this.” But she dived in and got it done.

I would like to switch to this doctor because he is absolutely fantastic and knows what he is doing. Very well educated, concerned about everything you have to say and makes sure everything is done properly and you feel good about the visit with him.

…kind, gentle, attentive, and the model of excellent primary care

…talked to me with respect, not down to me. Several doctors and nurses treated me as an old woman and didn’t know or understand. I am an old lady but I am not senile. I still have all my marbles.

I loved that I had a female surgeon. She was knowledgeable, confident and caring.

A wonderful doctor- knowledgeable, caring, empathetic, and informative…I GREATLY appreciate her respectful “partnership approach” to my healthcare.

Always there for me. I love the professional manner in which he handles medical concerns.
She also told me she was here for me if I needed anything. I really appreciated that.

The resident on my case made my experience better.

Education can at times feel somewhat abstract, yet we are fortunate that in health professions education, relationships with patients are protective and centering. The moments represented above are anything but abstract. They are vulnerable, deeply interpersonal and filled with shared optimism. And today, we celebrate that they are only made possible by the exceptional personal qualities and commitment of our residents and fellows.

From those of us who work alongside you in hospitals and clinics, and the team of staff that make that clinical and educational work possible, thank you for inspiring our hope in the future of healthcare!

 

Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education

Cindy Hamra, JD
Associate Dean, Operations and Administration

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

Thank A Resident Banner From Arnold Gold Foundation

Photo collage of trainees

 

GME News & Notes: February

by | Feb 23, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

February is Black History Month – there are so many good resources available, and I enjoyed reading President Cauce’s blog and the UW Combined Fund Drive’s engagement and learning opportunities.  As we work to support our community, a reminder that Ramadan begins on March 22.  Muslim colleagues and patients may be fasting between dawn and sunset in observance.

Additional celebrations in February include Thank a Resident Day on February 24.  This day is an opportunity to recognize our trainees and their enormous contribution to our mission.  In the spirit of celebrating our trainees, GME enjoyed partnering with The Huddle to craft this Getting to know our Chief Residents and Fellows article.

Finally, we are excited to welcome Allison Shults to the GME team as RMS and Information Systems Manager.  In this role, Allison will be our MedHub subject matter expert and will lead a new strategic initiative to prioritize use of data in our work in GME.  Allison joins us from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, where she was previously Assistant Director in the Master of Science in Information Systems program.

Thanks,

Cindy

Policies and Processes

Program Information

  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Anshu Bandhlish, Cardiovascular Pathology (Interim)
    • Matthew Cham, Cardiothoracic Imaging
    • Amanda Kost, Family Medicine – Medical Education Research
  • At its January meeting, the ACGME granted Initial Accreditation to a new Internal Medicine residency program based in the Department of Medicine. The UW-Alaska Internal Medicine Rural Residency Program’s mission is to provide an intensive Alaska-based, rural primary care-focused training experience in internal medicine. This is the very first accredited rural residency training program in Internal Medicine in the country. More information on the Department of Medicine news site and at the UW Medicine Newsroom
  •  The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • Upcoming GME Lunch & Learns
    • February 16: Workplace Safety; recording and slides now available
    • March 16: Annual Program Evaluations
    • April 20: GMEPAC Process for AY25
  • For additional support for program administrators, please find below a schedule of *optional* informational drop-in sessions. The available drop-in sessions are designed to help programs with our various onboarding processes and answer any questions, in a casual and virtual format.
    • GME Onboarding Drop-in Session #1
      • Date: Tuesday, February 28
      • Time: 9-10am
      • Zoom
      • RSVP: Not required
      • Tentative Agenda:
        • Guided instruction on MedHub functions
        • Forms: one-step stipend increase, extensions, Job Profile Change/Program Transfer
        • Q&A
      • GME Onboarding Drop-in Session #2
        • Date: Wednesday, March 29
        • Time: 9-10am
        • Zoom
        • RSVP: Not required
        • Tentative Agenda:
          • TBD
  • Register for “Fertility & Family Planning for those in Medicine & Science.”  The UW Committee on Women in Medicine & Science will be hosting this workshop on Thursday March, 2 from 4:00 – 5:00 PST.  This workshop will be presented by Rachel M. Whynott, MD, FACOG, Assistant Professor & Associate Fellowship Director, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Washington. It will discuss planning for pregnancy, what fertility testing may be appropriate for individuals, when to see fertility assessment, and fertility preservation options.  Zoom information will be sent within the week prior to the event to those registered. For those unable to attend, materials and a recording of the event will be posted to the website afterward.
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Annual Program Timeline has been updated and is now organized by activity type, eg ACGME Accreditation, Appointments and  Onboarding, Program Activities, Recruitment.  Please review the updated document and note the important dates for February and March.
  • Set your pronouns in Identity.UW: You can now display your pronouns in UW systems such as MyUW, Zoom and soon Canvas and MyUW class lists when you click “Set pronouns” in Identity.UW.
  • 2024 ACGME Awards: Nomination materials are available on each award’s page in the Awards section of the ACGME website. All nominations are due March 15, 2023. Please reach out to the GME office if you plan to submit an application.
  • UW Medicine launched an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Survey to identify baseline measures of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion across UW Medicine and provide actionable data to help prioritize areas for work at the entity and departmental levels. All UW Medicine faculty, staff, and trainees are invited to complete the survey which will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey closes February 28, 2023. Please participate in this survey to help make us a more equitable and anti-racist institution.
  • The NRMP will be holding an Introduction to the Fellowship Match webinar for NRMP Match participating specialties on Thursday, February 16, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Learn about program staff roles and responsibilities, managing your program’s participation in the Match, ranking applicants, and important policy information. Advance registration is required.
  • The GME Office is currently recruiting for an Affiliations and Agreements Specialist (req. 212955)
  • 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 from Learning Gateway is now available. Prioritizing Ourselves When Fatigued is a 5 minute module 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 review the recording and slides.

People

  • Congrats to members of our GME community who were nominated for the 2022 – 2023 Distinguished Staff Awards.
  • Geoffrey Baird, Chair, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, is quoted in “Is it time for a reality check on rapid COVID tests?”.
  • The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, took to social media to highlight the efforts of Justin Bullock, fellow, Nephrology, who advocates for greater mental health support for health workers.
  • Fionnuala Cormack, clinical associate professor (Nephrology) will serve as the Associate Program Director for the Nephrology Fellowship Program, effective July 1, 2023. She brings tremendous strengths and experience to this role. She has served as the Director of the UW dialysis program, leads the Nephrology efforts at UW Stone Center, and is the Section Head of UWMC’s NW Campus. She is a gifted educator, and the fellows recognized her with the Teacher of the Year award for the 2019 – 2020 academic year.
  • Tim Dellit, Interim Dean and CEO of UW Medicine, is quoted in “Gonzaga Law School, UW Medical ends participation with U.S. News rankings” – KXLY
  • The Department of Surgery Newsletter ‘Surgery Synopsis’ features many voices of the GME community, including Program Directors, trainees, and program staff. Check out the Winter 2022 / 2023 issue.
  • Yolanda Evans, alum, Adolescent Medicine Fellowship, is featured in The Huddle piece, “How alumna Yolanda Evans improves adolescent health by pausing and listening to youths’ needs”
  • Roxanne Hicks, R3, Internal Medicine has been accepted into the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) Leadership in Health Policy Program (LEAHP). The Leadership in Health Policy Program aims to develop SGIM members who are effective and active health policy advocates and local health policy experts, leaders, and teachers; to offer health policy career development resources and opportunities to all SGIM members; and to develop an expanding, national cadre of Health Policy Committee members and broaden engagement in the Society’s health policy efforts.
  • Trish Kritek, professor (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine) won the Reeves Prize for Presentation Excellence at the 2023 International Hypoxia Symposia in Lake Louise for her talk “Hypoxemia in the COVID ICU — Mechanisms and Reflections.”
  • The University of Washington’s Latino Center for Health has launched a study to better understand the extent and impact of long COVID on the state’s Latino communities. “Since the onset of the pandemic, Latino communities in Washington state have had higher rates of COVID-19 infection than the general population, higher rates of hospitalization, and higher rates of mortality on an age-adjusted basis,” said Leo Morales, professor (General Internal Medicine) and co-director of the Latino Center for Health. “Yet we are not seeing many people from Latino communities showing up in our long-COVID clinics.” Read more from UW Medicine Newsroom.
  • To improve HIV testing rates in the West African country of Côte d’Ivoire, community health workers need more training and support, researchers from the UW and the Institute de Recherche et Actions en Afrique, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire report in a new study. “We need to identify people who are infected if we are going to treat them, but identification can be the hardest of the three 95 percent goals to achieve,” said Nancy Mugisha, fellow, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and lead author of the paper published in PLOS ONE. Read the full story from UW Medicine Newsroom.
  • Henry Ou, Program Director, Pediatric Otolaryngology, is featured in Meet Henry Ou, a Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Seattle Children’s.
  • Paul Pottinger, Program Director, Infectious Diseases, is quoted in “Too Many People Are Using Neti Pots and Vaporizers Unsafely, Survey Suggests” in Everyday Health.
  • Sarah Prager, Program Director, Complex Family Planning, is featured in “In a post-Roe world, miscarriage treatment becomes more difficult.”
  • Sarah Prager, Program Director, Complex Family Planning, is featured in “How a Texas ruling on abortion pills would affect Washington.”
  • UW Medicine has announced the creation of a historic endowed deanship honoring retired Dean Paul G. Ramsey. The Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Deanship was established with leadership gifts from Steve and Connie Ballmer and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Each donated $10 million to advance research discoveries, train medical leaders and further excellence and equity in health care.
  • Colbey Ricklefs, R3, Family Medicine, is leading an initiative to rid insurance codes of pejorative language.
  • Grace Shih, Co-Director, Reproductive Health & Advocacy Fellowship, is quoted in “Post-Roe, vasectomies tick up in the Seattle area” – KUOW

From The Huddle: Get to Know Our Chief Residents and Fellows

by | Feb 8, 2023 | Announcements, News, Sticky

Headshots of 4 Chief Residents & Fellows

 

The chief residents and fellows at UW Medicine are key players in the clinical space through their guidance and leadership, but who are they?

The chief residents and fellows are trainees, usually senior, who serve as the leaders and representatives for the group of residents or fellows in their training program. Their roles and responsibilities can vary greatly depending on their program, but each chief resident and fellow is expected to be a model of professionalism, to communicate or liaise with a variety of stakeholders to represent their trainees’ needs or opinions, and to provide counsel to trainees about all matters — big or small.

These roles are essential at UW Medicine because these individuals represent the interests and opinions of a critical group of the workforce while also acting as subject matter experts. They answer questions that would otherwise go to faculty or administrative staff and bring knowledge and insight that might otherwise get lost when developing policies, practices and communications. Many chiefs eventually pursue faculty roles and become clinician educators within the system.

Serving as chief is also an opportunity for a trainee to expand their leadership skills and get insight into the complexities of how a training program is operated. The selection process varies depending on the program. Some programs hold faculty or peer elections, while others have faculty members select trainees based on written criteria. All chiefs are chosen for their leadership abilities, clinical or scholarly accomplishments, administrative or oversight abilities, and strong communication and interpersonal skills.  

To be a chief resident or fellow is a prestigious honor — one that can involve an additional year of training beyond the board eligibility and requires a large amount of attention. It denotes a respected leader.  

Get to know some of the chief residents and fellows >

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: Embrace The Embrace

by | Feb 6, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

There are many symbols in our country that reflect the struggle of Black people in America.

For this month of Black History celebration, I choose to focus on The Embrace, the new controversial sculpture in the Boston Commons, unveiled just last month. It reminds me of the ultimate commandment – which is to love one other.

Of all the Civil Rights statues standing, it is one of few that commemorates both Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. The 20-foot, 19-ton bronze sculpture was designed by Hank Willis Thomas, an African American artist who works primarily with themes related to identity, history and popular culture. The work was chosen from more than 200 entries in a competition by the Boston public. From the moment of its unveiling, The Embrace has been criticized in the press and social media and panned widely by critics for its stylistic ambiguity and suggestive imagery.

I have not seen the sculpture yet, but I’m compelled to write about it because of its intended meaning. The Embrace is a great symbol of an iconic man, Martin Luther King, Jr., sharing a tender moment with his wife after he won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.

Until that moment, the Nobel Peace Prize had only been awarded to two Black men: Ralph Johnson Bunche, a political scientist, diplomat and leading actor in the mid-20th Century decolonization process and the US Civil Rights Movement; and Albert John Luthuli, a Black South African and anti-Apartheid activist. At just 35-years old, Martin Luther King, Jr. was the youngest American ever to win the coveted prize for combatting racial injustice through non-violent resistance. Four years later, he was dead.

The Embrace represents the strong arms of MLK and is supposed to be the embodiment of a beloved community. We may not be there yet, but I have hope. Is it possible for us to think of what is good instead of demeaning the tremendous work of art and the artist? Especially now, at a moment that is so critical to our post-COVID-19 recovery, which has, in many ways, led to our isolation and desocialization, we need to think of King’s legacy as the reification of kindness.

King is arguably the most influential figure of the Civil Rights movement. This statue is a bold aide-mémoire that models for us what we should all be doing – and that is creating human touch and building up humanity, not tearing it down. There have been critical memes and statements debasing the statue, taking a swipe at our sacred and dignified man who shares a tender moment with his wife, an embrace displayed to the worldwide community at a time when we can all use a hug.

Take a moment out of your busy lives to embrace a friend, a family member, or a colleague during the month of February. We need less judgment and more love in our lives. In a world where we are taught, you can be anything, be kind.

Embrace The Embrace.

GME News & Notes: January

by | Jan 20, 2023 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

Happy New Year!  On the heels of celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the start of the week, we encourage you to visit the UW Medicine Office of Healthcare Equity’s Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems page and participate in the UW Medicine Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Survey (more information below).

January News and Notes includes information about the Residency & Fellowship Position Appointment Agreement for 2023-2024 and our new Leave of Absence resource page for trainees.  We also hope you’ll join us for upcoming events including a GME Meet & Greet for new program leadership and an Outreach event with lunch for trainees.

Also a reminder to check out Dr. Joyner’s January Blog, authored by Dr. Heather Barnett of the Care of Patients Experiencing Incarceration (CPEI) Task Force, regarding that group’s work on improving care of patients experiencing incarceration.

Please share information that you’d like included by sending to me at hamrac@uw.edu.

Thank you,

Cindy

 

Program Information

  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program director; appointments await ACGME confirmation:
    • Vikas O’Reilly-Shah, MD, PhD, Data and Technology in Anesthesiology
    • Antonio Westphalen, MD, PhD, Abdominal Imaging (Interim)
  • The GMEC approved revisions to the following policy at the December meeting. All policies are posted on the Policies and Procedures page of the GME website.
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • Upcoming GME Lunch & Learns
    • January 19: ACGME Surveys; recording and slides now available
    • February 16: Workplace Safety
    • March 16: Annual Program Evaluations
  • GME Meet & Greet: January 2023 on January 26 from 9:00 – 9:45 am on Zoom. Join in meeting some of our GME Office staff, learning about their roles and responsibilities. This is highly recommended for new Program Directors and Program Administrators but welcome to all.
  • GME Outreach Event for trainees at UWMC-ML on February 2nd from 11 am to 1 pm. We encourage trainees to stop by to say hello, meet our GME team members and take a packed lunch. Please look for an email closer to the event with specific room details.
  • Please join the UW Network of Underrepresented Residents and Fellows (NURF) for a Diversity Lecture Series event by Dr. Denisse Tiznado (she/her/ella). She will be teaching about Activism Burnout & Fatigue.
    • When: Monday January 30th at 7pm.
    • Where: Register to receive the zoom link.
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Annual Program Timeline has been updated and is now organized by activity type, eg ACGME Accreditation, Appointments and  Onboarding, Program Activities, Recruitment.  Please review the updated document and note the important dates for January and February.
  • A new opt-in module from Learning Gateway is now available. Prioritizing Ourselves When Fatigued is a 5 minute module intended as a brief reminder on the important issue of fatigue.  Programs can complete this survey to opt in for an October or January launch for trainees.  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 review the recording and slides.
  • On January 17, UW Medicine launched an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Survey to identify baseline measures of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion across UW Medicine and provide actionable data to help prioritize areas for work at the entity and departmental levels. All UW Medicine faculty, staff, and trainees are invited to complete the survey which will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey will be open until Feb. 28, 2023.
  • The NRMP will be holding an Introduction to the Fellowship Match webinar for NRMP Match participating specialties on Thursday, February 16, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Learn about program staff roles and responsibilities, managing your program’s participation in the Match, ranking applicants, and important policy information. Advance registration is required.
  • The Huddle article “Helping Blacking Moms in Medicine Manage Child Care” features resources for our community members.
  • The GME Office is currently recruiting for a Site and Contract Management Specialist, Accreditation Team (see posting, req. 212955)

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: January

by | Jan 5, 2023 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

 

This month, I’ve invited Dr. Heather Barnett of the Care of Patients Experiencing Incarceration (CPEI) Task Force, partnering with GME’s Learning Gateway to share the group’s work on improving care of patients experiencing incarceration. I am very proud of this group’s work for this vulnerable population of patients we see in our hospitals.

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

We are excited to share the efforts that our group has been working on to improve the care of patients in the UW Medicine System experiencing incarceration.

 

Background of the group

Patients incarcerated in King County’s jails are a specifically identified mission population of Harborview Medical Center, but care for this population presents unique challenges. In July 2020, the Housestaff Quality and Safety Committee (HQSC) reviewed a submission to the patient safety network in which a trainee expressed moral distress regarding the care of a patient from King County Jail who left the emergency department against medical advice despite their acute medical emergency due to the use of 4-point forensic restraints. Many residents shared similar experiences of moral distress related to limitations in care for patients experiencing incarceration. Discussions among residents led to the recognition that care for patients experiencing incarceration needed additional attention and focus. To improve care of this patient population while maintaining a safe environment for all, a group of trainees created a designated task force to further investigate current issues and targets for quality improvement.

 

Work so far

Survey of Healthcare workers

We conducted a survey among UW Medicine healthcare staff (including attending physicians, trainee physicians, nurses, therapists, and others) and received over 300 responses. We found that:

  • Most healthcare staff did not have any specific training or education related to this patient population.

Chart of individuals who received formal training

  • Most healthcare staff were interested in further training to address knowledge gaps and improve patient care

Chart of Interest in Further Training

  • Challenges and issues providing optimal patient care were frequent.

Graph of issues experienced by Health Care Workers

Data Gathering

We engaged key stakeholders to determine current issues, priorities, and goals. The group gained valuable information from a variety of stakeholders.

 

Stakeholders

  • UWMC Nurse Care Managers
  • HMC ED Charge RN
  • HMC ED Attending
  • Correctional health physician experts, Drs. Lara Strick & Marc Stern
  • King County Jail Medical Director, Dr. Benjamin Saunders
  • Hospital leadership
  • Harborview security
  • Office of Healthcare Equity
  • Physicians and activists at other institutions in San Francisco and Los Angeles
  • Community members who received medical care while incarcerated

Education & Data Sharing

Several educational presentations and discussions were held, and preliminary resources were created:

  • In May 2021, the UW HQSC-NURF Health Equity Conference was held focusing on the topic of “Caring for Patients who are Incarcerated.”
  • Lara Strick and Marc Stern hosted a 3-hour training and discussion session with interested healthcare staff.
  • The Task Force created preliminary training materials, including a one-pager and short video for resident and fellow use.

 

Additional Information

 

Next Steps

  • To optimize educational content, we are excited to partner with GME’s eLearning team, Learning Gateway, to develop and distribute a GME-supported eLearning module for current and future residents, fellows, and (hopefully) other staff.
    • This project will begin development in the Spring of 2023, with an expected 2024 launch
    • We will continue to involve stakeholders, area experts, and anyone interested in supporting the project! Please get in touch!
  • Possible long-term goals include evaluation of hospital policies related to care of patients experiencing incarceration and community involvement.

 

How to get involved

Heather Barnett Headshot

Heather Barnett, MD, PhD Acting Assistant Professor

If you are interested in being involved in the development of a training module, would like to share thoughts or feedback, or have other ways you would like to be involved, please reach out to our group by email!

GME News & Notes: December

by | Dec 21, 2022 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

As 2022 comes to an end, Happy Holidays from the GME Team to all who celebrate, and Happy New Year.  This month we Reflect on the Year and we welcome our new Human Resources Manager Bre Smith (more below) to the GME team!

The December issue of GME News and Notes is brief, featuring several articles and awards, and program leadership changes.  We also share information about a new Leave of Absence resource for trainees and an updated Annual Program Timeline, both designed to be resources for our community.

Please share information that you’d like to see included by sending to me at hamrac@uw.edu.

Thank you, 

Cindy 

Policies and Processes

  • End of WA COVID-19 State of Emergency: the end of the State of Emergency indicates the end of COVID-19 paid administrative leave for workplace exposures. If a resident/fellow is sick for any reason, they can use their sick time off.

Program Information

  • Welcome New Program Administrators:
    • Cullen McEvoy, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition
    • Emma Perrow, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Faith Ross, Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology
    • Jackie Hobbs, Psychiatry
    • Thomas Soeprono, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • Upcoming GME Lunch & Learns 
    • December 15: Leave Policy and Guidelines; recording and slides now available
    • January 19: ACGME Surveys
    • February 16: Workplace Safety
  • Navigating Parental Leave for Resident Physicians on January 10th from 6:30 – 7:30pm on Zoom. At this event, Hayley Fisher, GME Director of Housestaff Affairs, will educate trainees about navigating parental leave, how upcoming ACGME requirements may alter provisions and answer trainees’ questions. Register today at: https://sites.uw.edu/uwgme/event-registration/  Registration will close at 8:00am on January 9th. All residents, fellows and guests are encouraged to attend via Zoom.
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Annual Program Timeline has been updated and is now organized by activity type, eg ACGME Accreditation, Appointments and  Onboarding, Program Activities, Recruitment.  Please review the updated document and note the important dates for December and January.
  • Join us in welcoming Bre Smith, MBA, PHR, who started in the GME Office as the new HR Manager! Bre is joining UW from Seattle University where she had extensive human resources experience.  In her role as the UW GME HR Manager, Bre will focus on supporting residents, fellows, and program leadership in navigating paid time off usage, leaves of absence, disability accommodations, and compliance with the CBA.  We are very excited to have her join our GME team!
  • 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 Annual Non-ACGME Program Survey is currently open for program directors and administrators of non-ACGME fellowship programs to complete.  This survey serves to provide an annual check-in with our non-ACGME fellowship programs, identify program changes from the past year, and help identify areas where we can develop additional resources and support specific to our non-ACGME clinical fellowship programs, as defined in the GMEC-Approved (Non-ACGME Accredited) Fellowship Programs Committee (GAF) Charge and Educational Standards for Non-ACGME Programs.  Responses are due by January 6.
  • Early next year, the Office of Healthcare Equity will conduct a survey to better understand how personal identities, such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender, and disability, shape employee experiences at UW Medicine.
  • The GME Office is currently recruiting for three roles:
    • GME Float Administrator, Operations & Administration Team (see posting, req. 210821)
    • RMS and Information Systems Manager, Operations and Administration Team (see posting, 213834)
    • Site and Contract Management Specialist, Accreditation Team (see posting, req. 212955)
  • Harborview Medical Center Emergency Alert Messages Subscription: HMC is reintroducing the UW Medicine STAT|INFO Advisory notification system to disseminate official information via text message to keep the UW Medicine workforce informed during emergencies and situations that might disrupt normal operations. Trainees are encouraged to subscribe to UW Medicine STAT|INFO ADVISORY.
  • The UW Medicine Center for Scholarship in Patient Care Quality and Safety is proud to announce the (re)-launch of QI Match, an online web platform to match collaborators to quality improvement and patient safety initiatives across UW Medicine. Get started today.

People

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: December: Reflecting on the Year

by | Dec 8, 2022 | Announcements, News

Byron Joyner Headshot

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

Dr. Jennifer Best

Jennifer Best, MD

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra JD, MA

Welcome to winter – a time of year with a heightened pace and here in the PNW, ever-present questions as to which local weather forecast will prove most accurate! Like many of you, we embrace many of these seasonal changes yet deeply feel the strain of nearly-three years, know that public health crises remain acutely active, impacting the lives and work of our community. In these (and all) moments, celebration can be a welcome antidote. Here at the end of 2022, the GME team wishes to share some of the year’s good work that we have accomplished as a community.

Over the past year, the GME Office has consistently focused on our strategic values of expertise, integration, quality and value, communication, advocacy, and people – even as we began development of a new GME strategic plan for AY2024 to 2029. Thank you to those of you who provided early input, and we look forward to sharing more information early in the new year.

Our team continues to evolve. This year, we said hello to team members Karyn Crow (GME Float Administrator), Amanda Easton (Program Manager, Operations and Administration), Jenn Johal (Learning Environment Specialist), Brandon Phanmaha (Business Analyst), Howard Schaefer (Wellness Counselor) and Bre Smith (HR Manager). Two new roles – Site and Contract Management Specialist and RMS and Information Systems Manager – have also been posted. We hope to have good news to share regarding these hires soon.

A highlight of 2022 was the successful negotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between RFPU-NW and the University of Washington. During the process, GME staff actively advocated for residents and fellows to UW Medicine Leadership – and we believe that the outcome for residents and fellows represents a well-deserved step forward.

Our Sponsoring Institution received continued accreditation from the ACGME, reflecting the collective work of all of you, as well as a new ACGME Recognition status for Non-Standard Training Programs, including several of our non-ACGME accredited fellowships.

Continuing the opportunity to cultivate community and better identify and remedy needs in the learning environment, GME Leadership continued the Chief Resident/Fellow Forum. These gatherings have been increasingly attended and extremely high yield. We remain impressed by the thoughtfulness of these leaders and their creative ideas. Together, we have tackled and resolved challenges we may not otherwise have been aware of. A more recent community gathering was a convening of our growing cohort of Vice Chairs for Education – individuals filling a role supporting learners and programs across the continuum of medical education within our clinical departments We are hoping this group will work with us and with one another to develop standards, share best practices, and connect over similar work within a learning community.

The GME Office continues to partner on School of Medicine initiatives that we feel are key to the improvement of our clinical and learning environments. The first initiative is a large-scale effort to institute a program of restorative justice in response to harms within our community. Headed by Office of Healthcare Equity, this program will provide all of us with access to an alternative means of conflict resolution focused on community building. The second initiative – trainee participation in the UW Medicine Well Being Survey – is revealing actionable information on an expanded range of domains impacting trainee well-being within the workplace. We are working to compile program-level results early next year and anticipate close partnership with Dr. Anne Browning to develop action plans aligned with UW Medicine support that we hope will lesson trainee distress.

Most importantly, we want to express gratitude to each one of you. Thank you for your daily work to maximize, provide and ensure quality specialty training within UW GME with a shared goal of taking exceptional care of our patients. We welcome every opportunity to support our residents and fellows and to improve the clinical learning environment. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, we always want to hear from you.

Best for the holiday season and Happy New Year!

 

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education

Cindy Hamra, JD
Associate Dean, Operations and Administration

 

 

Itay Bentov Receives 2023 Bruce C. Gilliland Award

by | Dec 1, 2023 | Announcements, Awards, News

Itay Bentov Headshot

Itay Bentov, MD

It is a pleasure to announce that Dr. Itay Bentov (Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine) is the winner of the 2023 Bruce C. Gilliland Award.

The Bruce C. Gilliland, M.D. Excellence in Graduate Medical Education Teaching Award was created in 2007 as a tribute to rheumatologist and academic leader Dr. Bruce Gilliland. Dr. Gilliland was a resident in Internal Medicine and a fellow in the Division of Rheumatology University of Washington, followed by a thriving faculty career at UW Medicine that spanned 45 years. Dr. Gilliland, who died in 2007 after a lengthy battle with cancer, will long be remembered for his dedication to the UW School of Medicine (UWSOM) as a mentor and as a physician.

The Gilliland Award is given annually to a faculty member actively engaged in clinical and didactic training or in the implementation of a graduate medical education curriculum. The winner must have demonstrated evidence of excellence over time and must have served at least 3 years within the UWSOM as a teacher of residents and/or fellows.

Dr. Bentov is a multi-year winner of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine’s Golden Apple Teaching Award, which is voted on by trainees in the Department annually.  In fact, he has won the Golden Apple Award nearly every year since 2010 and twice in 2016 – more than any other faculty since he joined the Department in 2008!  Dr. Bentov is widely regarded by residents, fellows and faculty as one of, if not the best educators and clinicians in the Department. He has a strong record of mentorship and has served in multiple leadership positions, including serving on the UW Faculty Senate, the Faculty Council on University Relations and Chairing the Anesthesiology Grand Rounds Committee. He is nationally recognized for his expertise in the field of geriatric anesthesiology and has published extensively in the area, including the seminal chapter on this topic in Clinical Anesthesia.

Evaluations of Dr. Bentov by residents and fellows extol his comfort teaching at any level, his eagerness to share and to seamlessly tailor discussions to learners’ abilities and to patients’ needs.  For example:

Dr. Bentov embodies all the qualities patients would want in a physician. He is an advocate for the residents. He is a role model and thought of in the highest regard by all residents. He challenges you to be a better physician. He is very professional to both his colleagues and staff. His passion for medicine and anesthesia is contagious. He is a mentor I will strive to emulate as my career evolves, and I think I can speak on behalf of many other residents that they too feel the same way.

On behalf of the GME Office, congratulations to Dr. Itay Bentov!

 

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education
Designated Institutional Official

GME News & Notes: November

by | Nov 18, 2022 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News

Dear GME Community,

Cindy Hamra

Cindy Hamra Associate Dean, GME

November is Native American Heritage month, a time to celebrate and honor our Native and Indigenous communities. UW Medicine has a dedicated Huddle page with more information about Native American Heritage Month.  November 8 was National First-Generation Day and two trainees were featured in this Huddle article sharing what being first generation means to them.

Two other opportunities to celebrate this month – Dr. Joyner’s November blog highlights UWSOM’s many ACGME award winners.  Additionally, the University of Washington rose from No. 7 to No. 6 on the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities rankings. The UW maintained its No. 2 ranking among U.S. public institutions and placed in the top 10 in clinical medicine (No. 6).

Many thanks to those who shared information; please continue to do so by sending to me at hamrac@uw.edu. 

Thank you, 

Cindy 

Policies and Processes

  • The GMEC approved revisions to the following policies at the November meeting. All are posted on the Policies and Procedures page of the GME website:
  • End of WA COVID-19 State of Emergency: the end of the State of Emergency indicates the end of COVID-19 paid administrative leave for workplace exposures. If a resident/fellow is sick for any reason, they can use their sick time off.
  • The Staff Quarantine and Isolation Policy has been posted to reflect the following changes:
    • Change in conventional status recs to require two negative Ag tests if early return to work, per new CDC guidance
    • Changed surveillance testing- Following a higher-risk exposure, HCP should have a series of three viral tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection, day 1, 3, and 5
    • Added in option for Ag testing x 2 for symptomatic employees in the FAQ
    • For exposed HCP, no longer requiring a PCR in the serial testing
  • The second / final GMEPAC application for academic year 2023 – 2024 (AY24) is now open.  Programs that want to make changes in rotations or expansions that result in an increase in training time at any site for academic year 2023-2024 must go through the GMEPAC process (excludes VA FTE requests).  Information is posted to the GME website under Committees; select “GME Position Allocation Committee (GMEPAC).”  AY24 applications are due December 2, 2022.
  • RFPU-NW members are entitled to one (1) paid personal holiday per calendar year. If unused in the calendar year, the personal holiday is forfeit, and it is not paid at separation. It is the employee’s responsibility to schedule the personal holiday before December 31st. See complete information in Article 12 of the RFPU-NW Contract.

Program Information

  • The GMEC has approved appointment of the following new program directors; ACGME appointments require Review Committee (RC) confirmation:
    • Laura Romecevich, Global and Rural Health (Department of Medicine)
  • Welcome New Program Administrators:
    • Danielle Long, Nephrology
    • Karina Martinez, Plastic Surgery
    • Tiffany Wallace, Medical Genetics and Rheumatology
  • The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication.  If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org. 

Events of Interest

  • Upcoming GME Lunch & Learns 
    • December 15: Leave Policy and Guidelines
    • January 19: ACGME Surveys
  • Residents, program directors, coordinators, and designated institutional officials are invited to hear and discuss provocative and inspiring stories of diversity, equity, inclusion, activism, and social justice from winners of the prestigious Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare. The event will take place virtually, November 4. Register to Participate.
  • UW Medicine has opportunities for medical and administrative volunteers for the Seattle Marathon, Nov. 26. If you are interested, please complete the 2022 Seattle Marathon Medical Team Volunteer Registration. For more information, contact rmsports@uw.edu. Residents and Fellows will need to comply with the Medical Volunteer Activities Policy (please note the 2 week advance deadline).
  • Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.

Projects and Resources

  • First Page of GME Annual Program TimelineThe GME Annual Program Timeline has been updated and is now organized by activity type, eg ACGME Accreditation, Appointments and  Onboarding, Program Activities, Recruitment.  Please review the updated document and note the important dates for November and December.
  • The ACGME has added an Equity Practice Toolkit to the ACGME Equity Matters online educational materials. The toolkit is available in the ACGME’s online learning portal, Access the Equity Practice Toolkit.
  • Harborview Medical Center Emergency Alert Messages Subscription: HMC is reintroducing the UW Medicine STAT|INFO Advisory notification system to disseminate official information via text message to keep the UW Medicine workforce informed during emergencies and situations that might disrupt normal operations. Trainees are encouraged to subscribe to UW Medicine STAT|INFO ADVISORY.
  • Please see the IT Governance: Tier 2 Clinical Education Committee presentation from Mike Leu (Professor, Fellowship Director, Head of Division of Clinical Informatics).  Please contact Mike Leu with any questions or input.
  • Support Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) medical students at the UW School of Medicine. Help Healthcare Equity develop the UWSOM BIPOC Physicians Directory and add your name to the UWSOM BIPOC Physicians Directory,  a directory where BIPOC students can easily talk to residents and physicians with identities similar to their own to find advice and answers to their questions.
  • The UW Medicine Center for Scholarship in Patient Care Quality and Safety is proud to announce the (re)-launch of QI Match, an online web platform to match collaborators to quality improvement and patient safety initiatives across UW Medicine. Get started today.
  • The GME Office is currently recruiting for three roles:
    • GME Float Administrator, Operations & Administration Team (see posting, req. 210821)
    • RMS and Information Systems Manager, Operations and Administration Team (see posting, 213834)
    • Site and Contract Management Specialist, Accreditation Team (see posting, req. 212955)

People

  • In recognition of their substantial contributions to local healthcare quality and safety, James Araujo (Gastroenterology), Bernard Ng (Rheumatology), and Karly Williams Silva (chief resident) have been awarded the title of Practitioner Lead in Quality & Safety (PLQS) within the Hospital & Specialty Medicine service line at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System.
  • Congratulations to Julie Cheng (Pediatric Urology Fellow) whose abstract “Impact of Youtube Videos and Health Literacy on Postoperative Healthcare Utilization Following Pediatric Urologic Surgery” won Best Clinical Abstract Prize at the Societies for Pediatric Urology Fall Congress.
  • A study recently published in Harm Reduction Journal examined a Seattle-based organization’s efforts to introduce heroin pipes as a means to diminish harms associated with injection drug use. Thomas Fitzpatrick, (fellow, Allergy and Infectious Diseases) is the study’s lead author. Read more from UW Medicine Newsroom.
  • A recent study examined how markers of inflammation and angiogenesis in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension were related to clinical outcomes across disease subtypes. Kellen Hirsch (R3, Internal Medicine) is lead author on the paper, published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplant. Learn more on the DOM news site.
  • The Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education recently launched a new Division of Clinical Informatics; and at the same time in conjunction with the Department of Pediatrics, launched a new section of Pediatric Clinical Informatics. Michael Leu, (Program Director, Clinical Informatics) is the inaugural division head and section chief. Get to know Michael Leu.
  • Study sifts potential factors of device-implant complication. Machine learning identified preoperative conditions associated with poor outcomes of left-ventricle assist device surgery.  Song Li, heart failure cardiologist at the UW Medicine Heart Institute is the paper’s senior author. Lead author is Arjun Bahl (R3,Internal Medicine). Read the full story from UW Medicine Newsroom.
  • Despoina Michailidou, fellow, is lead author, and Bernard Ng, associate professor (Rheumatology) is senior author of “Predictive models for thromboembolic events in giant cell arteritis: A US veterans health administration population-based study” in Frontiers in Immunology. DOM co-author is Gary Lyman.
  • Andrew Portuguese (fellow, Hematology) is lead author, and Hans Joachim Deeg (professor, Medical Oncology) is senior author of “Transplantation for myeloid neoplasms with antecedent solid tumor” in Cancer. DOM co-author is Aya Albittar.
  • The Fall 2022 DOS Surgery Synopsis is focused on education and has lots of great features!
  • Chenwei Wu, (clinical assistant professor, General Internal Medicine) was awarded the 2022 Gene Peterson Award on behalf of the UW Housestaff Quality and Safety Committee (HQSC). The award is named after Dr. Gene Peterson, who had a great appreciation for the involvement of trainees in the fields of quality improvement and patient safety, and for the unique perspective they bring to the UW.

Dr. Joyner’s Blog: November

by | Nov 9, 2022 | Announcements, News

Dr. Byron Joyner

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA

In the October DIO Blog, we highlighted members of the UWSOM community who volunteer for ACGME Review Committees.  This month, we celebrate the many members of our community who have won ACGME awards for excellence.

As academicians, one of the most incredible aspects or our work is teaching others about our specialties – and about being a better clinician. None of us expect awards for something we are called to do. But, when we are recognized, it is particularly satisfying.

I am proud of our winners and encourage us all to teach each other and continue to learn everyday. It’s the only way a true academic environment can exist.

Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO

The ACGME, which accredits 122 of our 200+ training programs, recognizes notable designated institutional officials, program directors, coordinators, and residents and fellows for their outstanding work and contributions to graduate medical education through its Awards Program.

We’re so pleased to share that Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, Program Director for the Neurosurgery Residency program and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, was recently named a 2023 recipient of the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award.  This award honors program directors who find innovative ways to teach residents and to provide quality health care while remaining connected to the initial impulse to care for others in this environment.   Dr. Ellenbogen has been program director since July 2002.  His nomination for the Parker Palmer award included heartfelt and passionate letters from his colleagues, current and former trainees.  One letter included the following high praise:

“Dr. Ellenbogen’s most cherished quality is his ability to share the most valuable asset of all: his time.  Residents attend Friday evening meetings, complete with a home-cooked meal at his residence for two-way straight talk and airing concerns.  He is omnipresent – he finds time to attend the manifold didactic sessions throughout our four-hospital system.  He is constantly checking in with the residents and aware of the details of their personal lives because he truly cares.”

The University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) has won more ACGME awards than any of the other 871 ACGME sponsoring institutions.  Over the last 20 years, UWSOM has had 13 program directors win the coveted Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award. This particular award is granted to only 10 program directors around the country per year. It represents an impressive legacy of UWSOM program directors who embody the ACGME definition of the award as leaders “who have fostered innovation and improvement in their residency programs and served as exemplary role models for residents.”

Dr. Richard Shugerman, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Professor, Vice Chair of Faculty Development, Director of Pediatric WWAMI and Regional Education, and 2008 Parker Palmer winner, facilitates annual retreats for ACGME award winners. “It is such an amazing tribute to UWSOM that collectively our residents, our coordinators, our program directors and our administrative leaders have received more of these awards than any other institution in the country.  There are almost 900 accredited GME programs across the country and just 15-20 ACGME awards given in total each year.  It’s incredible to think that the people behind our UW programs have brought home on average one of these awards every year!  The faces of each one of the awardees below brings to mind their remarkable dedication to supporting the humanity of each one of the residents and fellows in their programs.  We are so fortunate to have such committed teachers and leaders in our community.”

  Name Award Year UW Program
Richard Ellenbogen Headshot Richard Ellenbogen, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2023 Neurosurgery

Seattle Children's Hospital LogoSee photo at end

 Pediatrics Residency Program Barbara Ross-Lee, DO, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 2022 Pediatrics
Fiona Gallahue Headshot Fiona Gallahue, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2020 Emergency Medicine
Daniel Leifer Headshot Daniel E. Leifer, MD David C. Leach 2020 Dermatology
Kelli Corning Headshot Kelli Corning Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence 2019 Internal Medicine
Eileen Klein Headshot Eileen Klein MD, MPH Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2016 Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Angelisa Paladin Headshot Angelisa Paladin, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2014 Diagnostic Radiology
Sid Gospe Headshot Sid Gospe Jr, MD, PhD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2013 Child Neurology
Lisa Anderson Headshot Lisa Anderson Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence 2013 Hematology/Oncology
Byron Joyner Headshot Byron Joyner, MD, MPA Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2011 Urology
Karen Souter Headshot Karen Souter MB BS Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2011 Anesthesiology
Michelle Rickard Headshot Michelle Rickard Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence 2011 Pathology
Ron Maier Headshot Ron Maier, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2010 Surgical Critical Care
Omar Bhutta Headshot Omar Bhutta, MD David C. Leach 2010 Pediatrics
Richard Shugerman Headshot Richard Shugerman, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2008 Pediatrics
Karen Horvath Headshot Karen Horvath, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2008 General Surgery
Deb Cowley Headshot Deb Cowley, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2006 Psychiatry
Terry Massagli Headshot Terry Massagli, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2005 PM&R
Harold Johnston Headshot Harold Johnston, MD Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach 2003 Family Medicine

**Did we inadvertently leave you off this list?  Please contact Amanda Easton (amande@uw.edu) and we’ll update!

Pediatric Residency Diversity Committee

 

Başak Çoruh Receives 2022 Bruce C. Gilliland Award

by | Oct 20, 2022 | Announcements, Awards, News

Başak Çoruh Head Shot

Başak Çoruh, MD

It is our pleasure to announce that Dr. Başak Çoruh (Program Director, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship) is the winner of the 2022 Bruce C. Gilliland Award.

The Bruce C. Gilliland, M.D. Excellence in Graduate Medical Education Teaching Award was created in 2007 as a tribute to rheumatologist and academic leader Dr. Bruce Gilliland. Dr. Gilliland was a resident in Internal Medicine and a fellow in the Division of Rheumatology University of Washington, followed by a thriving faculty career at UW Medicine that spanned 45 years. Dr. Gilliland, who died in 2007 after a lengthy battle with cancer, will long be remembered for his dedication to the UW School of Medicine (UW SoM) as a mentor and as a physician.

The Gilliland Award is given annually to a faculty member actively engaged in clinical and didactic training or in the implementation of a graduate medical education curriculum. The winner must have shown evidence of excellence over time and must have served at least 3 years within the UW SoM as a teacher of residents and/or fellows. Dr. Çoruh has been teaching at the UW SoM for 12 years and is the program director of the Pulmonary & Critical Care fellowship which led the way during our heroic efforts to safeguard the public against the COVID-19 pandemic.

To laud Dr. Çoruh as both innovator and inspiration would be an understatement. She has won nearly every teaching award in her field, including the UW Medicine Cares Team Award (2016); the Distinguished Clinical Teacher Award for UW SoM; the Darlene Buczak Award for Educational Excellence by the Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Program Directors; the David J. Pierson Award for Excellence in Education and Mentoring in the UW SoM Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine; the American Thoracic Society Innovation in Fellowship Educator Award; and finally the Distinguished CHEST Educator Award, American College of Chest Physicians. She is well known for her intellectual rigor and clinical judgement and for her ability to synthesize the literature with her own experience when rendering care or teaching a room of learners.

I have had the good fortune to know and work alongside Dr. Çoruh for many years and took this opportunity to ask her a few questions about education, career, and life.

Can you describe a favorite learning moment?

BC: Critical care is a team-based sport and I always enjoy my first day on service with a new team. I love learning about trainees’ life stories (in and especially outside of medicine), identities, and goals. This discussion builds trust and sets the stage for all the other great learning moments – the “aha” moments when a tricky concept becomes clear, the times when trainees recognize their growth, and seeing trainees supporting one another and celebrating each other’s contributions.

What is your advice for educators looking to build a sustainable and joy-filled career?

BC: First, figure out what gives you joy as an educator and ensure that your work is aligned with your interests, skills, and values. Next, keep growing, whether it is getting feedback on your teaching, learning new skills, or taking on new challenges. And finally, find a community. This includes mentors, mentees, collaborators, and people who can provide support on the tough days and celebrate with you on the good days.

What do you see coming in graduate medical education that excites you?

BC: It has been encouraging even to see the changes in GME since my time as a trainee, including competency-based medical education, interprofessional care, the use of technology, a culture of feedback, and coaching, to name just a few. I’m happy to see learners having a voice in their education and inspired by their advocacy.

From all of us here in UW GME, congratulations Dr. Çoruh! We celebrate you and your tremendous contributions to our UW GME community!

 

Jennifer Best Head Shot

Jennifer Best, MD Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education