As many organizations and institutions have elaborated so far, we are in a time of uncertainty. However, messaging from all of the major organizations that play a part in a resident’s training share a common take home point – taking care of patients, the community, family, each other, and themselves is the most important thing physicians and future physicians should be concerned about right now!
But, we know that it is human nature to worry about graduation requirements, certification needs, and the like, so here are statements from these organizations explaining actions they are taking to ensure you are supported during this time.
- March 16 message from AFMRD President Deb Clements, MD, FAAFP
- The ACGME is allowing residents to be involved in telehealth visits, following the rules related to direct (supervising physician monitoring, can be remote) and indirect (supervising physician immediately available, can be remote) supervision rules. For family medicine residents, programs should track each resident’s type and quantity of visits to report in the annual ACGME WebAds Major Program Update section.
- March 18 statement from ACGME President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Nasca, MD, MACP
- March 20 clarification on rules
- March 18 update: the ABFM is working with ACGME to coordinate any accommodations for residency training that are necessitated by COVID-19 — these are related to changes in resident rotations and in person continuity visit requirements, especially in response to the transition to virtual visits for many patients. Please be assured that we committed to supporting the needs of programs and their residents. More to come soon on this, but in the meantime we ask that all resident continuity visits (virtual or otherwise) and rotation adjustments are documented for future review.
- Read the latest updates
- Daily updates from the AAFP can be found online
- Join the COVID-19 Rapid Response Member Exchange in your AAFP profile. Residents can post questions, concerns, stories, and hear from other physicians from across the country.
All of these entities are, and will continually be, evaluating and making decisions about extensions and adjustments for the pandemic. Check back to their websites for future updates. The OAFP will also share these important updates as they become available.
- Should We Avoid Exposing Residents to Coronavirus?
- Residency Training in the Era of COVID-19: A Program Director Weighs In
- Physicians Are Not “Giving Up”
If you know of others, please share them in the comments below.
- OAFP Wellness Wednesdays Archive
- Mental Health First Aid
- Ohio Physician Wellness Coalition CME Webinars
Finally, if you have questions or would like to share some of the creative solutions being led by resident members, please contact Kaitlin McGuffie to share your story—we’d love to highlight the joy amongst the chaos!