RRC Update Oct 2007

There were 4 specific issues I wanted to make you aware of that were discussed at the recent Radiology RRC meeting.

1. Outcome measures for the General Competencies. As you know we are into the next stage of the General Competency project which now requires programs to document outcome measures for each competency. The RRC discussed this at great length at the meeting and realized that there would be confusion among some program directors/coordinators as to what the requirements were and how to comply. In order to ease the burden on Radiology Programs and decrease confusion, the RRC spent the good part of a day developing suggested outcome measures that could be used by programs to meet this requirement. I have attached a document developed by Dr Steve Amis, chair of the RRC. As Dr Amis says, the document is not meant to be inclusive by any means. Compliance with one or more of these measures for each competency would be viewed by the RRC as meeting program requirements.

2. The RRC reviewed data from the ACGME radiology case dictation log. They reviewed data from the 2006-2007 academic year which was the first year that data was required to be entered. About 60 (out of about 190) programs had little or NO data entered into the system. As you know data entry is now required The RRC wishes to take this opportunity to reach out to Program Directors and Program Coordinators to stress the importance of inputting this required data.

3. As you know, new ACGME common program requirements became effective July 1, 2007. The RRC wishes to bring to the attention of the Program Directors and Program Coordinators a new requirements for paperwork for ALL residents entering radiology after a PGY1 year of any sort. All residents entering a Radiology Residency are NOW CONSIDERED 'TRANSFER" residents. All residents now also need an summative competency based evaluation as well as a list of rotations completed/procedural experience filled out by their PGY1 program. A Program Director Guide to the Common Program Requirements is available on the ACGME website and is a very useful document. I was certainly unaware of this new requirement until I read through the document. In order to fulfill this requirement, I created a cover letter and a competency based evaluation form which I have sent out to the program directors of the PGY 1 programs of my entering residents. I have attached these documents as well. If you feel appropriate, please feel free to share this with any program director or coordinator that might care to use it.

It should be noted that the above requirements does NOT apply to a resident completing a radiology residency and entering a fellowship.

4. The RRC spent considerable time discussing the clinical year. One issue was the amount of time that a radiology elective during the PGY1 year could apply towards the new upcoming requirement for 12 months of Radiology training before the resident could take independent call. It was decided by the RRC that up to TWO months of Radiology elective during a clinical year may be deemed valid experience by the Radiology Program Director ASSUMING the rotation occurred in a Radiology dept with an accredited radiology residency program and involved interpretation and dictation of imaging studies under proper supervision of Radiology faculty. Such training must be documented.

I hope APDR and the program directors and program coordinators find this RRC update helpful.

I wish to personally thanks Dr Larry Davis, 1st Director-at-Large for keeping us all informed of these issues.

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