OGME Corner

Susan L. Rall, M.Ed

How May We Assist You?

At the recent Resident Evaluation and Standards Committee (RESC) meeting in February 2016 the committee discussed ways to assist programs with the transition to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) single accreditation system. The RESC continues to pledge that no program or resident will be left behind. We need your input so that we can meet your needs and successfully receive the goals of ACGME Initial Accreditation.

Upcoming information sessions about the ACGME application process and ACGME accreditation will be available at the “Surgical Educators Seminar” on Saturday, September 24th at JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona. The program is geared to program directors, coordinators, directors of medical education, and faculty members of surgical osteopathic programs. We will continue to provide the most updated information on the application process in order for your program to acquire ACGME Initial Accreditation. Please email Susan Rall, [email protected] with any issues, concerns, tips, or successes, etc. that you would like to share or would like to receive from other programs. The information you submit will be kept in confidence. Your input will serve as a conduit for planning the Surgical Educators Seminar, as well as, upcoming webinars. Please send your suggestions to Susan by March 20. Thank you in advance.

In addition to assisting those programs applying for ACGME Initial Accreditation, the RESC pledges to assist programs who will NOT be applying for ACGME Initial Accreditation. For planning and training purposes, the ACOS needs to know if your program will not be participating in the ACGME application process. This information is imperative as your training needs and goals are different from the programs applying for ACGME Initial Accreditation. Please send an e-mail to Susan Rall, [email protected] let the RESC know of program intent prior to March 20 .The information will be kept n confidence.

2016 General Surgery In-Service Exam

On Saturday, January 9th the 2016 General Surgery In-Service Examination was administered electronically to over 672 examinees at more than 50 training sites across the country.  With few exceptions, the delivery of the exam went without difficulty. All osteopathic general surgery residents training in AOA-approved general surgery residency training programs are required to complete the annual exam to comply with the AOA/ACOS Basic Standards for Residency Training in Surgery and the Surgical Specialties (Section III, 4.1.6).  

There is no passing score for the exam, which is a diagnosis-oriented, criterion-referenced achievement test that measures the degree to which residents have mastered the general surgery residency model curriculum. The purpose of the exam is to assist the program director in the evaluation of the resident’s level of knowledge relative to other resident’s knowledge at the same level of training, to identify a resident’s area of weakness, to track a resident’s progress, and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each residency program.

The General Surgery In-Service Examination Committee extends their congratulations to the following residents who received the highest scores for their level of training:

OGME 1
Jarrod Buzalewski, D.O.
Geisinger Health

OGME 2
Byron Holloway, D.O.
Mercy St. Vincent Hospital

OGME 3
Adam Bowling, D.O.
Berkshire Medical Center

OGME 4
Major Burger, D.O.
Doctors Ohio Health

OGME 5
David May, D.O.
Geisinger Health

A special congratulations to the individual with the highest score, Major Burger, D.O. This is Dr. Burger’s third consecutive year to receive the highest score.

The general surgery resident training programs attaining the highest collective average on the General Surgery In-Service Examination were: Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, CA – Program Director, Joseph V. Davis and Doctors Hospital Ohio Health in Columbus, OH – Program Director, John Galante, D.O. Both program directors should be commended on a job well done. Individual exam results have been distributed to program directors to use as a tool to identify strengths and weaknesses in their programs and in their residents.  Program Results for all ACOS approved GS programs will be placed on the Education Section of the ACOS Website in the near future.