You’ve received your ACGME survey results—now what? Interpreting data is valuable, but the real work begins when you move from analysis to action.
The most effective programs treat survey review not as an annual task but as an ongoing conversation that shapes culture, communication, and continuous improvement. This approach leads to real impact that improves scores and outcomes for your program’s residents and fellows.
This article outlines a structured process for using ACGME survey feedback as a call to action and insight-driven change for your GME program.
1. Creating Transparent Feedback Loops
Transparency is one of the strongest signals of a healthy learning environment. Sharing what you’ve learned—and what you plan to address—builds trust across residents, fellows, and faculty. Start small: summarize two or three themes that emerged from your data review and share them in a resident forum or faculty meeting.
As highlighted in Partners® Pulse (July 2024), “GMEC – Oversharing, Overthinking but Underperforming,” feedback loops only strengthen when they close. By communicating early and often, you ensure that ACGME survey results don’t disappear into a black box but become the start of a collaborative dialogue.
Documenting and communicating even small responses to survey data can reinforce your Annual Program Evaluation (APE), Annual Institutional Review (AIR), and GMEC oversight responsibilities, all the while improving the resident experience.
Related Webinar: Wellness for the Whole GME World (October 2025) – explores open communication and psychological safety in team environments.
2. Facilitating Meaningful Discussions
Once the data is shared, structured discussion turns awareness into insight. Moving beyond numbers allows residents and faculty to reflect on the conditions behind the scores and creates space for shared understanding and meaningful solutions.
Encourage open-ended questions like:
- What’s behind this perception?
- What’s working well that we can reinforce?
- What’s within our control to change this year?
Invite residents and faculty to respond to trends, not statistics. This reframing fosters psychological safety and positions survey follow-up as part of a continuous learning environment rather than a performance review.
Tip: Consider having an external facilitator, such as the DIO, a member of the GME office, or a peer Program Director, lead the session. A neutral voice can encourage openness and help Program Directors listen without needing to immediately defend or explain.
Related Webinar: Ask Partners (March 2025) – offers tools to translate data into structured improvement discussions.
3. Using Structured Frameworks to Uncover Root Causes
Once your team has surfaced themes, it can be helpful to use a structured framework, like a SWOT analysis, fishbone diagram, or Five Whys, to look beyond the surface. These tools support deeper thinking when the issue is familiar but complex, like survey scores that continue to lag year over year or diverging perceptions between residents and faculty.
If survey results are the “what,” this tool helps you tackle the “why” and the “what next.” The ACGME Survey Action Planning Template walks programs through each step—from identifying key findings to closing the loop with evidence of improvement—making it easier to demonstrate progress during APE, AIR, or GMEC review.
Related Webinar: Tracking Scholarly Activity After ADS Tracking Ends (December 2025) – reinforces how structured documentation strengthens institutional learning and compliance.
4. Integrating Survey Findings into the APE and AIR
Survey-driven initiatives should never live in isolation. Integrate findings directly into your Annual Program Evaluation (APE) and Annual Institutional Review (AIR) cycles to ensure continuity and accountability.
Documenting actions, timelines, and follow-up evidence keeps ACGME survey results visible and measurable throughout the year. This also supports longitudinal oversight, a principle discussed in Powering Excellence: The Sponsoring Institution’s Role in Continuous Improvement (Partners® Pulse, April 2025) —and demonstrates to the GMEC that each concern is being tracked through to resolution.
5. Communicating Progress and Sustaining Change
The final loop to close is communication. After implementing changes, circle back to residents, fellows, and faculty to share what’s been done in response to their feedback. This step reinforces engagement and demonstrates accountability—both essential to a healthy learning environment.
It’s also an opportunity to celebrate improvements and recognize those who contributed to positive change. Whether the communication comes from the Program Director, DIO, or department leadership, consistency matters.
As discussed in Partners® Pulse (April 2025), “Let’s Get Ahead of Ourselves,” consistent follow-up helps transform feedback into empowerment and communicating ACGME survey results is one of the most visible ways to show that change is happening.
Your Next Step: Document and Demonstrate
Each survey cycle gives programs a new opportunity to strengthen systems and relationships. Use the ACGME Survey Action Planning Template to:
- Capture key findings and priorities
- Identify root causes using SWOT or Five Whys
- Outline clear action steps, timelines, and evidence of follow-up
When your next surveys arrive, you’ll be ready to tell a complete story, one that leverages dialogue, collaboration, and documented progress.
Partners® in Medical Education supports GME program leaders in building sustainable, system-level responses to survey findings. From tailored coaching to institutional strategy, our GME program consulting services are designed to help you move from compliance to continuous improvement.