Criteria for Excellence | Chapter 6: Institutional Engagement​​​​

Build strong institutional relationships that support your residency program’s success.

Authors: John Gazewood, MD; Alan Douglass, MD; Judith Pauwels, MD

ACGME requirements for family medicine residency programs

In the graduate medical education (GME) accreditation system, all programs must comply with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements in three areas:

  1. Institutional Requirements, which apply to program sponsors

  2. Common Program Requirements​, which apply to all specialty programs (with some program-specific options)

  3. Program Requirements​, which apply to the specific specialty residency program (in this case, family medicine)

ACGME Institutional Requirements

Institutional Requirements apply to the program sponsor, which is often a hospital or university medical center/medical school but may be a community health center or regional educational organization. The institution oversees and is responsible for specific higher-level oversight of activities in the system within which the residency and residents operate. A sponsoring institution may sponsor one residency/fellowship or many. (See the Sponsoring Institution section for more details on these requirements.)

ACGME Common Program Requirements

Common Program Requirements apply to all specialties and are integrated into each specialty’s Program Requirements. These requirements, which are noted in bold in the Program Requirements, contribute specific discussion of resident and faculty well-being and identify related expectations and aspirations.

ACGME requirements for specialty-specific family medicine residency programs

The most current specialty-specific Program Requirements in family medicine and related frequently asked questions​ are available on the ACGME website. The requirements are updated with major reviews approximately every five years. Focused revisions may occur more frequently.

Changes to the Program Requirements may pose challenges for residencies. For example, to ensure that the program has appropriate documentation and information for periodic reporting, the program director (PD) and administration must pay careful attention to requirements for education and documentation of competency or experience. (See the Program Accreditation section for more details on these requirements.)

Assess your residency program

Put what you’ve learned into practice. Complete the corresponding self-assessment to evaluate your program’s current practices, identify opportunities for improvement and help guide your next steps.
Take this section's self assessment