Children's National Letter

[Amoeba]

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So, uh, how do you guys feel about this? Thoughts? Anyone at the program who can shed some light?

Dear Applicants,
As you start your interview process for pediatric residency, there has been
some news here at Children's National Medical Center which I would like to
share with you.
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is the
organization that accredits training programs as well as their respective
sponsor institutions. We have been informed by the Institutional Review
Committee (IRC) of the ACGME that Children's National Medical Center has been
placed on institutional probation. This is in response to institutional
processes, not specifically about the Pediatric Residency Program or any other
training programs at CNMC. The IRC is distinct from the Residency Review
Committee (RRC), which accredits individual training programs. When the
Pediatric Residency Program was last visited by the RRC in March 2007, it was
granted full accreditation.
It is important to understand that for the duration of this institutional
probation, Children's National remains a fully-accredited institution, and the
Pediatric Residency Program remains fully accredited.
Children's National has already developed and implemented a vigorous action
plan to correct the areas cited by the ACGME. These are improving internal
administrative processes, increasing financial support to residency and
fellowship program directors, increasing resident presence at GME meetings,
and forming a GME Executive Oversight Committee to assess and improve the
balance of clinical service and education at the institution.
I do not expect the institutional probation to adversely affect the day-to-day
lives of our pediatric residents; rather, this provides us with the
opportunity to continue to make positive changes. This challenge becomes our
opportunity to demonstrate that we are all dedicated to the educational
mission of Children's National.
I encourage you to contact me with any questions. Please be reassured that
you are applying to a fully-accredited residency training program, and we
place the education of pediatric residents at highest priority.
Sincerely,
...PD

Discuss!

 

[DrJ2B]

I actually think it is great that the PD came out and stated all of this upfront. If you are uncomfortable with this, I do not think it would be inappropriate to ask why exactly they were placed on probation and what they have set up to try to rectify the problems.

You may just want to ask the residents, at least initially, as they should know more about this issue. They may speak about it in more detail at the interview, but I would honestly want some answers from the PD about why they are now on probation. It is three years of your life and you want to be at a stable place that is not doing something so wrong as to necessitate being put on probation. There is a way to do it that it very tactful, showing concern about a program that you are really interested in.

Just my 2 cents.

DrJ2B

 

[bks524]

It is important to recognize the difference between the IRC and RRC which I think is spelled out in the letter. The IRC reviews all hospitals even if they don't have any residents. IRC has everything to do with the function of the hospital- ie do people wash their hands, label tubes correctly, fill out paperwork etc. RRC has to do with if a residency is meeting the proper requirements to prepare pediatricians (or others) to sit for their respective board exam.

I do think it is worthwile finding out what were the major dings especially as relates to your field

 

[waldenwoods]

In recent weeks, I have heard people who interviewed at Chlidren's National say that program is on probation. It's not. I thought the presentation by the program director on interview day was clear in explaining that the probation was institutional and that the residency program was not on probation. I want to echo bks524 that it was also explained in the letter that Amoeba has posted; however, the explanation wasn't very robust, and both review committees are part of the ACGME, so maybe that is where the source of confusion is.

By chance, I found an article published in an ACGME newsletter for residents, which explains the difference between IRC and RRC well. Here is the link (see pages 5-6): http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/resReview/ACG%2007_ResRevSummer08_F.pdf