ACGME Data Resource Book – Part 1

| February 22, 2018 | Print Article

A great item to have in your GME resource arsenal is the ACGME Data Resource Book.  Published annually, this reference contains an extraordinary amount of information related to GME including program, institution and resident characteristics, program activities, recruitment statistics and more.  Throughout the year we will take a look at specific sections to understand the benefit and value of the information and how we can apply this knowledge to improve our programs.

Today we will look at the first section, Program Accreditation, in the 2016-17 Data Resource Book.  This section provides data on number and types of accredited programs.  This section is great for general information.  See how many programs are currently in your specialty, or how many have withdrawn and, new for this year, how many have Osteopathic Recognition.  Table A3, in this section, shows us the current accreditation statuses of programs.  Use this table to get an idea of how many new programs came on board, how many have continued accreditation status and how many are on probation.  This table puts the whole accreditation process in context for us as we often only hear about the programs that may be struggling.  For example, of the 269 OB/GYN programs, only one is on probation.  Even better, of the 540 Family Medicine programs, zero are on probation!  Additionally, of the 540 Family Medicine programs, 66 were new giving us an indication that either 1) the specialty is experiencing a boom or 2) many of our AOA transition programs have joined the single accreditation system.  Using the data in this section can put your mind at ease and assure your program is on the right track.