Administration & Policies - General Surgery Residency Training Program ::

Administration & Policies

Resident Education Progression

The educational goals of the Duke General Surgery Residency Program are listed below for each year of training.

Institutional Committee for Graduate Medical Education (ICGME) Policy on the passage of Medical Licensing Examinations for entry to and continuance in Graduate Medical Educations programs sponsored by Duke University Hospital

Rationale:

The goal of graduate medical education is to provide trainees with the necessary knowledge, experience and attainment of the general competencies of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in order to practice effective and safe patient care. In addition the ACGME requires a statement from the program director verifying that the trainee has met all the competencies and is capable of competent independent practice.

It is appropriate that trainees should pass sequentially specific licensing examinations (USMLE, COMLEX, etc). A significant number of medical schools do not award a degree until the first two parts are passed, and a large number of institutions do not allow entry into graduate medical education programs without documented passage of the first two parts even if their school has awarded the degree. In addition, these same institutions will not allow promotion to the third year of the program without passage of the entire sequence. These requirements are a metric for competency, and an indication of successful progression toward state licensure. They also identify trainees early in the process who should consider a career change if they are unable obtain a license to practice medicine, avoiding inappropriate resource expenditure.

Policy:

All applicants to Duke University Hospital sponsored graduate medical educations programs must document passing scores in the first two parts of appropriate medical licensure examinations (USMLE, COMLEX, or equivalent Canadian examinations, etc.) to be eligible for entry into any program. This policy applies to all graduate medical trainees whether United States or International Medical School graduates. An Agreement of Appointment will not be valid without satisfying this requirement.

All graduate medical trainees must pass the third part of the licensing examinations before being promoted to the third year of his/her program. Failure to satisfy this requirement will result in Automatic Corrective Action as described in §6.7.4 of the Corrective Action and Hearing Procedures for Associate Medical Staff of Duke Hospital (CAHP) www.gme.duke.edu for a period of not more than three (3) months, at which time lack of compliance will result in termination from the program. Termination from a program of graduate medical education in accord with this policy is an "adverse action" as defined in §6.4(4) of the CAHP, and the resident shall be afforded the rights of hearing and appeal provided for in Part 7 and Part 8 of the CAHP.

For programs of less than three (3) years, or present residents in longer programs, a program director statement verifying ability to practice competently and independently or certificate of program completion will not be issued until documentation of compliance is available.

Programs have the right to impose more stringent requirements, but not less than those contained in this policy.

ICGME: 12/14/2005

ECMS:04/17/2006

Effective: 01/01/2007

Resident Criteria for Educational Progression (PGY Level Specific)