The Single Accreditation System, the process of moving previously AOA accredited orthopedic surgery residencies into the ACGME, continues to move forward. Although the progress has been slow, it has been steady. In 2015, at the beginning of this process, 44 orthopedic residencies were accredited by the AOA. Currently 41 programs are either accredited or are pursuing ACGME accreditation. Of the three remaining programs, one (previously AOA accredited) decided not to start the training program due to administrative changes, one was struggling prior to 2015 and decided to close even before the SAS discussions (all those residents were able to place in accredited positions), and one program elected not to seek ACGME accreditation and will graduate its last residents in 2020.
Recently one of the programs in continuing pre-accreditation has experienced institutional difficulties. It appears they will be withdrawing from the ACGME application process and will close by attrition.
As of this date, 20 of the 41 programs are in various stages of ACGME accreditation. Four programs have been accredited for over two years. Two of those now have continued accreditation without outcomes and one has initial accreditation with warning. One program will be reviewed during the January review committee meeting.
We have one AOA accredited hand fellowship and that program will seek ACGME accreditation.
As a new ex officio member of the Orthopaedic Review Committee, I attended the most recent September 2018 meeting. At that meeting, fourteen programs were reviewed and six achieved initial accreditation. The next meeting is in January.
So far none of the orthopedic programs accredited by the ACGME have applied for Osteopathic Recognition. This designation is conferred by the ACGME’s Osteopathic Principles Committee upon ACMGE accredited programs that demonstrate, through a formal application process, the commitment to teaching and assessing osteopathic principles and practice at the graduate medical education level. We have invited two members of the Osteopathic Principles Committee of the ACGME (Tiffany Moss and Dr. Natasha Bray) to our Spring meeting in Orlando. I have asked them to meet with our program directors for a presentation and to answer questions and address their concerns. The AOA is devoting significant resources to this area and, as this process moves forward, the AOAO will consider what resources we might contribute to this work.
Profession wide, the SAS is progressing as anticipated. As of November 1, 2018, 72% of all previously AOA accredited programs are now ACGME accredited or have submitted an application to the ACGME. Of all the previously AOA accredited positions, 77% are now ACGME accredited. The specialties of pediatrics and anesthesiology have all their programs ACGME accredited. Two hundred programs with ACGME accreditation now have Osteopathic Recognition. Progress in this area has been slow for the procedural specialties. Only two general surgery programs have achieved osteopathic recognition.