How to check ACGME accreditation cycles for programs you're applying to

[GoSoxGo]

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https://www.acgme.org/ads/Public/Programs/Search

Select a State and Anesthesiology, then select View Program, then scroll down until you see Cycle Length.

The average accreditation for anesthesiology residency programs in 2010-2011 is 3.89 years, which unfortunately at a quick glance is a little below most other specialties. 5 years is max accreditation and I believe 2 years is minimum.

This is just one of many factors to look at when evaluating programs. It reflects quality of didactics, case requirement numbers, resident happiness (all residents take an anonymous survey that runs the gamut from duty hour violations to attending feedback to call rooms) amongst other things.

I had trouble finding this information out when I was applying for residency so hopefully this helps some of you.

 

[NightNight]

https://www.acgme.org/ads/Public/Programs/Search

Select a State and Anesthesiology, then select View Program, then scroll down until you see Cycle Length.

The average accreditation for anesthesiology residency programs in 2010-2011 is 3.89 years, which unfortunately at a quick glance is a little below most other specialties. 5 years is max accreditation and I believe 2 years is minimum.

This is just one of many factors to look at when evaluating programs. It reflects quality of didactics, case requirement numbers, resident happiness (all residents take an anonymous survey that runs the gamut from duty hour violations to attending feedback to call rooms) amongst other things.

I had trouble finding this information out when I was applying for residency so hopefully this helps some of you.

I'd add to this that I like to ask about it during my interviews as well, usually the Chair or PD, so you can get an explanation of why the program got, say, a 3 or 4 year extension as opposed to 5.

 

[afteranesthesia]

Does anyone know why MGH has a 3-yr cycle? My interview is upcoming, but I thought I'd see if anyone had already asked the question this year.

 

[2013anes]

Does anyone know why MGH has a 3-yr cycle? My interview is upcoming, but I thought I'd see if anyone had already asked the question this year.

Additionally, MGH shows:
"Complement Breakdown: Approved
Years: 1 2 3 4 Total
Approved: 29.0 29.0 29.0 29.0 116.0
Complement Breakdown: Filled
Years: 1 2 3 4 Total
Filled: 5.0 25.0 24.0 28.0 82.0"

I understand that there are a lot of advanced spots (why the first year has such a large gap), but why are there only 25 and 24 filled in the CA-1 and CA-2, respectively? Are people taking time off for research or something (not sure if this actually counts)?

 

[BrakngLyv]

Would also still like to know why UMASS is on a 1-year cycle. This question was posed recently, but I don't believe was answered.

 

[gasblaster]

Does anyone know why MGH has a 3-yr cycle? My interview is upcoming, but I thought I'd see if anyone had already asked the question this year.

I also had this question last year. It was fully addressed during the interview by the PD, spoke with the residents, and spoke with students that rotated there. From what I remember, it was an issue with work hours, but the program took large strides after to resolve the issue. After my interview, I had zero hesitations about the accreditation.

Like people told me last year, MGH isn't about to get anywhere close to loosing its accreditation or anything. Found that it isn't as a big of a deal as you would think in terms of gauging programs. Came across a number of programs last year considered in the top tier/very competitive with sub-5 year accreditation. Didn't factor into my rank list in the least. MGH-3, Brighams-2, Stanford-4, Michigan-3, Yale-4, Northwestern-4, etc. From what I was told from my advisor, it's a common cycling back and forth between full accreditation to being cited for something and getting dinged on the accreditation.

Additionally, MGH shows:
"Complement Breakdown: Approved
Years: 1 2 3 4 Total
Approved: 29.0 29.0 29.0 29.0 116.0
Complement Breakdown: Filled
Years: 1 2 3 4 Total
Filled: 5.0 25.0 24.0 28.0 82.0"

I understand that there are a lot of advanced spots (why the first year has such a large gap), but why are there only 25 and 24 filled in the CA-1 and CA-2, respectively? Are people taking time off for research or something (not sure if this actually counts)?

That's how many spot they are accredited for, but they intentionally didn't enter all of them up for the match. You'll see on that website most programs are that way. Especially the bigger programs. If you follow the PC's blog, she mentions that (as of 2011) they enter between 22 and 25 spots per year in the match.

 

[2013anes]

Thanks for your response, gasblaster. To be clear, I am not trying to criticize MGH, I am trying to understand how to really use this website. I found the blog post that you were referring to: http://mghanesthesiaresidentrecruit.../hello-readers-i-received-question-today.html. Thanks for the heads up. I guess my question now is what happens since there is an "all-in" policy for the match that begins this year. http://www.nrmp.org/allinpolicyexceptionsstatement.pdf. Will all of these positions now go to the match? And on a larger scale, when we see this number for other programs, can we assume the same? I.e, if they are accredited for 8 spots, then 8 spots will be in the match?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Libertas]

I don't know...but I know I didn't rank umass. IIRC they had a ton of unfilled spots after the match last year, like 6/8 unfilled, the most of any anesthesiology program. When I interviewed the residents seemed very unhappy and overworked, and in addition, the interviews were weird. It was the only interview where I was asked about my grades/scores. Super awkward. I felt like I was really being grilled, which was atypical based on my other interviews.

In terms of accreditation cycles, I've heard mixed things. Obviously the programs and residents at programs with 5 or 4 year cycles think its really important, and the ones with lesser cycles say it doesn't matter at all. I know I asked one PD why they didn't get a full 5 year accreditation and they told me "the committee likes to find something wrong to knock down the big name programs" and he advised me "its not useful to ask about this and I'd recommend you don't ask on your future interviews." Well that was certainly weird....

Anyway, there definitely seem to be some programs that very consistently get 5 year cycles, or 4-5. For whatever that is worth. And some of those programs are programs with very strong reputations.

 

[DannyB]

The ACGME is getting rid of these accreditation cycle distinctions where every program will either be on a 10 year cycle or not accredited at all. If you make a decision on your rank list based on these stupid accreditation cycles you deserve to be at a one year program