Fellowship Programs

Accreditation

• Subspecialty Program Requirements - ACGME Approved and Posted!
  
  
• Timeline - Now Confirmed!
  
  
• Preparing your ACGME Application - Posted on ACGME Website!
  
  
• Review Process
  
  
• Fees
  

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is a private, non-profit organization responsible for the accreditation of post-MD medical training programs within the United States. Training programs seeking accreditation will need to substantially comply with the ACGME common and specialty-specific program requirements and then complete a Program Information Form (PIF) to apply for accreditation by ACGME. ACGME accredited GME programs must operate under the authority and control of a sponsoring institution. To view the definition and requirements of a sponsoring institution, click here.

Subspecialty Program Requirements Approved

During its February 11-12, 2008 board meeting, ACGME approved the program requirements for fellowship education in hospice and palliative medicine. ACGME has posted these requirements on their Website. To view the requirements, click here.

The program requirements contain a reference to a "Companion Document" that will provide program directors clarifying information regarding the core competencies in hospice and palliative medicine.

Timeline

Four copies of the completed Program Information Form (PIF), or application, are due by June 1, 2008 in order to be reviewed during the first phase of accreditation. This first review process will be paper only (i.e., no site visit required).

The Family Medicine RC will review all applications at its January 2009 meeting.

Preparing your ACGME Application

ACGME has posted the Program Information Form (PIF), or application, on their website. To view the application, click here.

Hospice programs will be considered for accreditation only if the sponsoring institution also sponsors an ACGME-accredited program in at least one of the following specialties: Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Radiation Oncology or Surgery.

All applications for a new program must be initiated by the Sponsoring Institution Designated Institutional Official (DIO) using the Accreditation Data System (ADS) found on the ACGME home page.

Members-only resource: Several programs who were accredited by the Palliative Medicine Review Committee (PMRC) shared the most helpful components of their applications to assist other fellowship programs in their pursuit of ACGME accreditation. AAHPM members are invited to click here and login to the members-only section of the Web site to access these applications.

Review Process

For hospice and palliative medicine, the work of reviewing specific programs and making accreditation decisions will be carried out by the Family Medicine Review Committee (RC) of the ACGME. In an effort to streamline the process in its initial years, ACGME has formed a Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Group to review applications first and provide comments to the Family Medicine RC. At least one member of the advisory group will be present at the January 2009 RC meeting to assist.

Applications judged to be in substantial compliance with the requirements will have July 1, 2008 as the effective date of accreditation. Applications judged to be non-compliant with the requirements will have the opportunity to respond to the RC’s concerns/citations. Responses will be reviewed at the Committee’s September 2009 meeting. 

Fees

Visit the ACGME Web site at www.acgme.org to learn more.