Criteria for Excellence | Chapter 8G: Innovative approaches to training
Develop innovative training approaches that build on your residency program’s strengths.
Innovative approaches to family medicine residency training
To build on its strengths, a Program of Excellence may develop innovative approaches to training that highlight its unique capabilities and resources. This can be accomplished in multiple ways, including the following:
Developing focused tracks within a standard three-year program using elective time
Adding accredited or non-accredited fellowships that are either integrated within residency training or follow completion of core family medicine training
Extending the length of residency training beyond three years
Offering advanced degrees such as a master’s degree in public health, medical education, or business administration
Offering training in locations outside of traditional hospitals
Combining training in family medicine with accredited training in psychiatry, internal medicine, emergency medicine, preventive medicine, or neuromuscular medicine
Innovation in family medicine residency training with a focus on competency-based education and extended length of training is currently being encouraged through the joint Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education/American Board of Family Medicine (ACGME/ABFM) Advancing Innovation in Residency Education (AIRE) program with a goal of 10% of all programs participating.
Essential elements of an innovative residency curriculum
A Program of Excellence that develops an innovative curriculum will incorporate appropriate educational rationale and a clear evaluation method when designing and implementing it. To be successful offering an innovative curriculum, a program must meet the Review Committee for Family Medicine (RC-FM) expectations and have the following four essential elements in place:
Faculty members who have competency in the areas of focus and are capable of teaching the curricular content with defined goals and objectives
A volume of patients with appropriate conditions that is adequate for learning in the areas of focus without negatively affecting the teaching of family medicine core content
Specific assessment methods for achievement of the desired competencies
A robust evaluation process to measure impact and outcomes and provide regular follow-up data on graduates’ success
ACGME criteria for innovation beyond core residency requirements
The RC-FM encourages programs to be innovative, although any deviation from core program requirements must be approved in advance based on the following criteria:
Obtain approval before implementing residency innovations
Approval from the RC-FM is sought before the proposed innovations are initiated. Failure to receive RC-FM approval puts the program at risk for citation or other regulatory action.
Maintain board eligibility and competency-based education
Programs ensure that their proposed innovations will still allow graduates to meet the eligibility requirements of their certifying specialty boards (i.e., the ABFM and the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians [AOBFP]).
The rationale for innovation is clearly documented.
A competency-based educational process that is in keeping with ACGME requirements is used.
Secure institutional support and evaluate outcomes
Institutional support is documented.
A robust programmatic evaluation process is in place to generate outcomes data and determine the program’s degree of success in meeting its stated aims.