Joint education standards help GI, hepatology programs meet accreditation requirements

A team of representatives from five gastroenterology and hepatology societies have created a toolbox designed to help gastroenterology training directors meet the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Internal Medicine Subspecialty Reporting Milestones requirements while training fellows to independently care for patients. Thirteen core tasks, known as "entrustable professional activities," or EPAs, have been identified that define the work of gastroenterologists and hepatologists. A toolbox for each task includes, among other things, specific behavioral objectives related to knowledge, skills and attitudes; identification of the key reporting milestones needed to achieve mastery; and suggested assessments to gauge progress.

This toolbox is the creation of the Oversight Working Network (OWN), which is a committee made up of representatives from five societies—the AGA Institute, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), receiving support from colleagues from the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) and the GI Program Directors Caucus.

The project was developed in response to the new twice-yearly reporting milestones requirement—a key component of the Next Accreditation System. This new outcomes-based accreditation system for graduate medical education programs takes affect for gastroenterology on July 1, 2014. Submission of the first reporting milestones report for GI fellowship training programs are due to ACGME between November and Dec. 31, 2014.

"The GI societies must ensure that the needs of our trainees, program directors and educators are being met in ways that best help them prepare for the practice of gastroenterology and hepatology," said Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, professor of medicine, senior associate dean for education, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and lead author of the paper. "We respect the autonomy of GI fellowship programs and offer the new tools to help educators and trainees supplement their current approach while being able to meet the new requirements in the Next Accreditation System."