Online residency assessment tool for program improvement

image of a physician in modern clinic using an assessment tool on laptop.

Benchmark your residency program and uncover areas for improvement.

The AAFP's new Online Residency Assessment Tool helps family medicine residency programs enhance quality and effectiveness with expert-backed recommendations. Built on The RPS Criteria for Excellence, this free tool aligns with family medicine residency best practices to identify areas for improvement and ensure top-tier training. Programs can also use these criteria to demonstrate to their institutions what it takes to deliver a high-quality residency experience.

Strengthen your program today and showcase your commitment to excellence in family medicine education.

How the online residency assessment tool works

Input your program data

Start by entering details about your residency program, including curriculum, faculty composition and structural components. The tool is designed to capture the unique aspects of your program in just a few steps.

Receive a detailed evaluation

Once your data is submitted, you’ll receive a comprehensive evaluation benchmarked against the RPS Criteria for Excellence. The report with your program’s score is provided via email.

Instructions for taking online assessments

  1. Click on any module below to begin the assessment for that specific focus area.

  2. Complete as many or as few assessments as you prefer.

  3. You are not required to complete all 20 assessments at once—take them at your own pace.

Assessment modules

Workforce

See how your program meets evolving workforce demands in family medicine.

Patient safety principles

Review how safety practices are taught and reinforced in training.

Resident and faculty well-being

Assess wellness, workload balance and support systems.

Competency-based medical education

Check alignment with core competency-based frameworks.

Principles grounding the family medicine practice

Review core values guiding family medicine training.

Form and function of the family medicine practice site

Assess design and operation of practice sites.

Artificial intelligence: Tools and challenges

Evaluate training on AI use and its practical challenges.

Curriculum development

Identify strengths and gaps in your residency curriculum.

Health equity, bias and structural barriers to care and opportunity

Measure efforts to foster diversity and inclusion in training.

Program director financial competency

Evaluate director skills in financial management.

Strategic planning and institutional engagement

Assess long-term planning, leadership and sustainability.

Research and scholarly activity

Evaluate opportunities for resident and faculty research.

Family medicine practice quality principles

Check quality measures in family medicine practice.

Program accreditation

Check readiness and compliance with accreditation standards.

Professional development

Measure growth and learning opportunities provided.

Residency leadership management

Review structures that develop strong physician leaders.

Innovative approaches to training

See how your program adopts new teaching methods.

Program financial stability and stakeholder impact

Review funding strength and stakeholder outcomes.

Osteopathic principles and practice

Evaluate integration of osteopathic principles in training.

Process of education

Evaluate teaching processes and learning outcomes.

Coaching in family medicine residencies

Empower residents to own their learning and growth through effective coaching.

Comprehensive assessment (includes all modules)

Get a complete view of program strengths and challenges.

The AAFP grants your organization permission to link to the Residency Assessment Tool on your organizational websites subject to applicable restrictions, which you can find here.

Participants in this survey acknowledge that the AAFP owns all content related to the survey, including information or data provided in response to the survey. The AAFP may use participant responses in combination with other participants’ responses to inform and improve internal training and educational activities related to the Residency Program Solutions (RPS) activities. Survey information is never shared with other organizations. You can learn more about RPS here.

Implementing your online assessment results

After completing the online assessment and reviewing your results, the next step is to book a consultation with an RPS consultant. Programs can choose from the following options:

Whether you are identifying strengths, addressing challenges or planning next steps, RPS consultants can help you turn assessment insights into practical improvements.

  • Personalized consultation with family medicine residency leaders (up to 60 hours): In-depth, personalized assistance from a family medicine residency leader to help you enhance your program. Email rps@aafp.org for a free scoping call to learn more.

  • Mini group consult (1 hour): Live, interactive online discussion with one RPS consultant and up to ten other family medicine residency program attendees about designated topic. These free sessions are quick and easy and require no contracting.

  • RPS Express 90 and RPS Express 180 consults: Choose from a total of 90 minutes ($750) or 180 minutes ($1,500) of consultant time, including live interactive online discussion with an RPS consultant and up to five program staff and faculty to address topics of your choice (identified at registration), and pre/post discussion work by consultant.

Get started with RPS

Related articles