Comment on Proposed ACGME Common Program Requirements

Oct 1, 2019 — The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is now accepting comments on a focused revision of the Common Program Requirements. Comments are due by November 13.

The proposed requirements, based on recommendations and requests from STFM and other organizations, would allow ACGME specialty review committees to specify the amount of time core faculty must dedicate to residency programs, exclusive of patient care. The ability for review committees to specify this time was eliminated in the Common Program Requirements that went into effect July 1, 2019.

“The omission of quantifiable, protected time in the new Program Requirements is of grave concern to the family medicine community,” said Frederick Chen, MD, MPH, in a letter to ACGME President Thomas J. Nasca, MD, dated July 24, 2019.. “Health systems leaders look to national guidelines and requirements when allocating teaching time, and we’ve heard from members of our Society that there is a national drive to maximize clinical productivity of academic faculty.”

The proposed revision also includes changes to requirements for resident supervision.

Follow the instructions on the “review and comment” page of ACGME’s website to submit comments.

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Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

STFM's AI Assistant is designed to help you find information and answers about Family Medicine education. While it's a powerful tool, getting the best results depends on how you phrase your questions. Here's how to make the most of your interactions:

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Be Clear and Specific: Use precise terms and avoid vague words like "it" or "that" without clear references.

Example:

Instead of: "Can you help me with that?"

Try: "Can you help me update our Family Medicine clerkship curriculum?"

Why this is important: Ambiguous language can confuse the AI, leading to irrelevant or unclear responses. Clear references help the chatbot understand exactly what you're asking.

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Instead of: "What resources does STFM provide?"

Try: "I'm a new program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship. What STFM resources are available to help me design or update clerkship curricula?"

Why this is better: Providing details about your role ("program coordinator") and your goal ("design or update clerkship curricula") gives the chatbot enough context to offer more targeted information.

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Provide Necessary Details:The STFM AI Assistant has been trained on STFM's business and resources. The AI can only use the information you provide or that it has been trained on.

Example:

Instead of: "How can I improve my program?"

Try: "As a program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship, what resources does STFM provide to help me improve student engagement and learning outcomes?"

Why this is important: Including relevant details helps the AI understand your specific situation, leading to more accurate and useful responses.

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Clear Chat History When Switching Topics:

If you move to a completely new topic and the chatbot doesn't recognize the change, click the Clear Chat History button and restate your question.

Note: Clearing your chat history removes all previous context from the chatbot's memory.

Why this is important: Resetting ensures the AI does not carry over irrelevant information, which could lead to confusion or inaccurate answers.

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Include Background Information: The more context you provide, the better the chatbot can understand and respond to your question.

Example:

Instead of: "What are the best practices?"

Try: "In the context of Family Medicine education, what are the best practices for integrating clinical simulations into the curriculum?"

Why this is important: Specific goals, constraints, or preferences allow the AI to tailor its responses to your unique needs.

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Break Down Complex Queries: If you have multiple questions, ask them separately.

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Instead of: "What are the requirements for faculty development, how do I register for conferences, and what grants are available?"

Try: Start with "What are the faculty development requirements for Family Medicine educators?" Then follow up with your other questions after receiving the response.

Why this is important: This approach ensures each question gets full attention and a complete answer.

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Bad Prompt

"What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's bad: The AI Chat Assistant has no information about your background or needs.

Good Prompt

"I'm the chair of the Department of Family Medicine at a major university, and I plan to retire next year. I'd like to stay involved with Family Medicine education. What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's good: The AI Chat Assistant knows your role, your future plans, and your interest in staying involved, enabling it to provide more relevant advice.

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