OGME Corner

Susan Rall, M.Ed

General Surgery In-Service Exam

All osteopathic general surgery residents, including OGME 1Rs, training in AOA/ACOS approved general surgery residency training programs are required to participate in the annual ACOS General Surgery In-Service Examination to comply with the AOA/ACOS Basic Standards for Residency Training in Surgery and the Surgical Specialties (Section III, Standard IV. Residents, 4.1.6). Residents in general surgery programs which are in pre-accreditation or continuing pre-accreditation with ACGME are still required to take the exam. Residents who are in programs that are not applying for ACGME accreditation are also required to take the exam. The required examination is scheduled for Saturday, January 13, 2018 from 8:00 am to 12:15 pm at each training site.

Registration forms and fees for the General Surgery In-Service Exam are due at the ACOS by October 23, 2017.  For additional information contact Susan Rall at 571-551-2010 or [email protected].

Request for Advanced Standing

A resident may, with the approval of the program director, petition the specialty college any time during the first residency year only for advanced standing credit in his/her current residency program for previous training taken in the same specialty or a different specialty in an approved osteopathic or ACGME training program. Most advanced standing request are for approval of an OGME 1T (traditional) year as equivalent to an OGME 1R (surgical) year.

To request approval for advanced standing (OGME 1T as equivalent to an OGME 1R year)  the following are be submitted to the ACOS for review of approval by the RESC:

1. Letter from the resident requesting advanced standing. The letter must state the reason for the request, dates and name of OGME 1T program.
2. Letter from the program director approving the resident’s request for advanced standing. The letter must state the reason for the request, training dates and program name of internship training, training dates and program name of current training, and affirmation that the resident’s current performance is on par with his/her level of training.
3. Letter form the internship program director or DME indicating the internship year was successfully completed. The must also include training dates, and a list of completed monthly rotations.

Criteria for approval:

1. Letters from the resident, program director and internship program director/DME are complete and receive by the ACOS
2. The following rotations have been successfully completed during the OGME 1 training year:
   a. Rotations for ½ day per week, for 46 weeks, in an out-patient clinic or office.
   b. Two months of general internal medicine
   c. One month of ICU
   d. One month of emergency medicine
   e. Four months of general surgery
   f. Four months of selectives to include any of the following areas:
       i. Urology
       ii. Orthopedics
       iii. Anesthesia
       iv. ENT
       v. General Surgery
       vi. Vascular Surgery
       vii. Neurosurgery
       viii. Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery
       ix. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
       x. Radiology
       xi. One month of female reproductive medicine
       xii. One month of pediatrics, if available, or other primary care specialty, at the discretion of the training institutions.

If a resident has not completed the required rotations the program director must submit a plan of action to the ACOS stating how the resident will make up the rotations. (Usually, this involves extending the length of surgical training). Approval of advanced standing will be delayed until the rotations are completed and the program director verifies to the ACOS successful completion of the rotation(s).

Note: Advanced Standing is only granted for a training year. Therefore, if a year (12 months) has not been completed advanced standing will not be granted.