Your Rookie Year: The New Program Coordinator Jory Eaton, C-TAGME Operations Manager Graduate Medical Education
Background GME experience started as a coordinator 6 years ago. 4 programs: Peds, MP, Neo, Thoracic Surgery 58 trainees, 4 PDs, 4 CCCs, 4 PECs, etc I have nothing to disclose
Learning Objectives: Develop a system to prioritize tasks within your program, including the creating of a program calendar of events Identify the acronyms (ACGME, ABIM, ITE, etc.) and how to make sense of them Present a timeline for personal and professional growth in the coordinator position Convey the importance of creating a good working relationship with your program director and the importance of a network of other coordinators and GME staff both within and outside the institution Discuss tools such as the AHME message board, coordinator societies and coordinator workshops
Where to start? Read everything Program Requirements (both common and specialty specific) Coordinator Handbook Previous APE, goals and objectives, program website Don t be afraid to ask questions PD/APD Coordinator Colleagues Your GME office PD/PC associations AHME
Rookie Year Timeline Months 1-3 Learning/Observing Identify team Identify standing meeting times Read, read, read Months 7-9 Comfort with some commonly used acronyms Consider Specialty/AHME/ACGME Conference Still reading Months 4-6 Observe/prep Semiannuals Identify coordinator groups Register for AHME message boards Build toolkit Read, read, read Months 9-12 Understanding of program requirements Understanding of graduation/board requirements Some comfort with what the next 3 months brings Still reading
Timeline It takes 1 year to see the annual cycle of a GME Program.
Timeline It takes 1 year to see the annual cycle of a GME Program. It takes 2 years to understand it.
Timeline It takes 1 year to see the annual cycle of a GME Program. It takes 2 years to understand it. We have a theory that it takes 3 years to be able to really impact it and make change at the coordinator level.
Coordinator Success Coordinator Success is not determined by having all the answers, it s knowing where to find them. ACMGE Requirements Institutional Policies and Procedures GME Handbook (Housestaff & Coordinator Handbooks) Other Coordinators Coordinator societies and message boards PD/PC Associations AHME message boards Residency Management Software (RMS) When all else fails- google!
The PC Role Acknowledge there is a lot to learn about GME (and, once you learn it, it will most likely change) Understand the role, your team and your support Build your tool kit (websites, acronyms, etc.) Build your team
But it s all priority! Prioritization comes with time It s ok to ask for help Specific deadlines/expectations
Rookie Mistakes: And How to Avoid Them Thinking you know everything Not learning from your mistakes Thinking this is a 24/7 job Good coordinators have good boundaries Not reading everything Not giving yourself credit Be confident in what you know Back up your statements with facts and rules It s ok to buy yourself time- Let me verify I don t have that in front of me, but I will follow up with you
Mistakes?
My Mistakes I deployed an evaluation to 2647 people. It should have gone out to 36 I didn t take any vacation time my first year, and usually worked 10 hours a day (at least) I thought I knew almost everything after 12 months (I m still learning after 6 years) I learned from all of this Mistakes will happen, it s OK.
Building Your Team Board s and Specialty Society Information GME Office Other Coordinators PD/APD/Chief Specialty Society AHME Message Boards Area Coordinator Group (CAMEG) Specialty Board Web site Specialty Society Information (if available) Addiction Medicine www.abam.net Anesthesiology www.theaba.org PD& PC- http://saaahq.org Clinical Neurophsyiology Dermatology Family Medicine Geriatric Medicine www.abpn.com www.abderm.org www.theabfm.org www.abim.org PD- www.acns.org Geriatric Psychiatry www.abpn.org PD- www.aagponline.org Headache Medicine www.ucns.org PD- https://americanheadachesociety.org Internal Medicine Neurology/Vascular Neurology Neurological Surgery Neurocritical Care Nuclear Medicine www.abim.org www.abpn.com www.abns.org www.ucns.org www.abnm.org PD- www.aan.com PC- CANET proposed Consortium of Administrators in Neurology Education and Training 11/16 Obstetrics and Gynecology Ophthalmology www.abog.org www.abop.org PD- www.acog.org Orthopaedic Surgery www.abos.org PD- http://www.aaos.org PC- http://www.arcosonline.org Otolaryngology www.aboto.org Pathology www.abpath.org PD- https://apc.memberclicks.net/gmeas Pediatrics www.abp.org
Building Your Team Know your team Can the APD/Chief handle specific concerns? Duty hour violations, research projects, schedule changes Create an org. chart for who to go to with questions (for both you and the residents)
Building Your Team Use your face to face time with your Program Director wisely Ask questions Be invested Be strategic Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Gone
Building Your Team: Relationships Successful program coordination depends on these fundamentals: Relationships (PD/PC, PC/GME, Program/ACGME..) Communication (PD/PC, PC/Resident, PD/Resident..) Investment- as part of a team, time Ownership- as a coordinator you are part owner Commitment- time, energy
PD/PC Success Relationships aren t built overnight- they take time.
PD/PC Success You may need to flex your style to learn how to manage the relationship so that program needs are met. Set boundaries and expectations: You have a common goal: program success Decide the best way to communicate Set a standing meeting time Monday morning huddles
Building your Toolkit Program Requirements Handbook Institutional Policies Websites/ Where to look for answers Acronyms Message boards and coordinator networks Standard Tools: Agendas Coordinator Societies
Tools for Success Skills successful Program Coordinators need to have: Time Management Organization Prioritization Standard Work Project Planning Flexibility Standard tools can help Program Calendars Standard Agendas/Standing Meetings
Toolkit: Program Calendar Helpful to know what s next No surprises Helpful with tasks that happen annually
Toolkit: Standard Agenda When meeting with PD/Manager- Save items that can wait until you meet in person (if possible) A standard agenda helps meetings stay focused and quick Also helps you remember issues to discuss
Building your Toolkit Program Requirements Handbook Institutional Policies Websites/ Where to look for answers Acronyms Message boards and coordinator networks Standard Tools: Agendas Coordinator Societies
We Love Acronyms ACGME Glossary of Terms Common Acronyms and Abbreviations
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) www.acgme.org Accredits sponsoring institutions (SIs), Residency and Fellowship programs. WebAds (Ads) is the Accreditation Data System on the ACGME site where you will update rosters of residents and faculty. You will also update information about your program on an ongoing basis. It is reviewed annually by the Residency Review Committees (RRC) in order to continue program accreditation.
American Medical Association (AMA) www.ama-assn.org A voluntary association of physicians in the US that sets standards for the medical profession. AMA is responsible for FREIDA (Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database)- you will update your program size/salary/open spots and recruitment information. This information provides candidates with data about programs they can compare.
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC): www.aamc.org AAMC operates both the application process for entry to medical school and ERAS, the Electronic Residency Application Service for entry to Residency and Fellowship. AAMC also keeps a database (GME Track) on all residents that contains the National GME Census.
GME Track www.aamc.org/services/gmetrack Annually you will update your resident roster and information about your trainees. This national database tracks medical school graduates and helps to analyze this data for other purposes. Your program will receive an email with a login and password (the password changes annually).
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) www.aamc.org/services/eras/ This is where your program will receive applications. ERAS has webinars that are helpful for new users. New online format allows you to schedule appointments, share applications and keep track of invitations in one place. ERAS PDWS= Program Director s Work Station
National Residency Match Program (NRMP) https://www.nrmp.org/ Both programs and applicants submit rank lists for preferred candidates/training locations. NRMP uses a logarithm to match the candidate to a program. NRMP has both parties enter into an agreement- it s long but worth reading. Match violations are serious issues.
Education Council for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) www.ecfmg.org ECFMG evaluates the qualifications of international medical graduates before they enter the US and issues ECFMG Certificates. They sponsor foreign nationals for J1 visas so that they can participate in US training programs. ECFMG partners with NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners) to administer the USMLE Step 2 CS Exam. ECFMG supports foreign medical grads in many other ways as well.
Association of Hospital Medical Educators (AHME) http://www.ahme.org/ AHME supports medical education professionals through meetings, publication and networking. Annual meetings (conferences) and Academy (Chicago 9/22/17) Membership Message boards: http://www.ahme.org/resources/message-board-register/ Free to join the message boards- you can search or post new questions or comments
In Closing Program Coordinators impact: Future Training - ordering ITE, submitting Board information Accreditation - ADS submission, correct information Recruitment - first impression of the program Residents futures You are usually the first person the resident sees (at orientation and the last person they see when they checkout) The ability to implement change Reimbursement - CMS billing/budgeting/schedule changes And much, much more
Jory Eaton, C-TAGME Operations Manager Graduate Medical Education Loyola University Medical Center 2160 S. First Avenue Maywood, IL 60153 708-216-3145 jeaton@lumc.edu