NEWS

Baystate's Mock ACGME Resident Survey Enhances Quality of Programs

An article in HCPro's Residency Program Alert, highlights a method, developed by Elisabeth Bennett PhD, Director of Education, and Keith White PhD, former Assistant Director of Education, that ascertains compliance with ACGME standards and also probes institution-specific program quality dimensions. In the fall, about 3-4 months before the ACGME Resident Survey, they administer a survey that foreshadows the results of the annual ACGME survey. They also add institution-specific program quality items that were developed through a resident and fellow focus group in 2007. These items collect both quantitative and qualitative data. According to White, "On one question, we saw a negative trend over the last three years. We looked at the open-ended responses and were able to pinpoint the cause of the trend." The method garnered interest when it was presented at the annual ACGME conference in March 2009.

Information from the survey can help residency programs:

• predict how residents will respond to the actual ACGME Resident Survey

• develop quality measures that identify program strengths and weaknesses

• with internal program reviews and annual program evaluation activities

• track program improvements over time.

Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute Launches New Website

CTSI offers education, research expertise, and financial support to investigators across all of Tufts University's schools and its affiliated hospitals. Tufts CTSI is available to coordinate resources and consult with any CTSI Workspace member. Their new CTSI website provides an online form to register to join the CTSI workspace, as well as an email address through which services can be requested. Their staff of investigators will respond to requests within 2 business days.

Ronald Burkman MD, Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, Was Charles A. Hunter Lecturer at Indiana University School of Medicine

Dr. Burkman's presentation, given June 19, 2009, was titled "Shoulder Dystocia and Brachial Plexus Injury: Etiology, Clinical Management, and Medico-legal Ramifications.”

Surgery Residency Program Re-accredited

Baystate Medical Center's surgical residency training program was re-accredited for 4 years, effective June 25 2009, by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Richard Wait, MD, PhD serves as the Program Director, and Joy Isotti serves as the Education Coordinator for the residency program.