Alliance Testifies to ACGME Congress on Program Support
November 2020—AAIM was invited to testify during the November 16 ACGME Congress on Program Support, which was convened by an ACGME Board of Directors Task Force to examine common and specialty-specific program requirements relating to duties, functions, dedicated time, and support for program directors, assistant/associate program directors, program coordinators, and core faculty members. The Alliance was ably represented by APDIM President-Elect Susan Lane, MD, FACP, ASP Councilor Steven Barczi, MD, and APDIM Program Administrators Advisory Council Past Chair Bethany Millar, C-TAGME; their comments reiterated and emphasized Alliance positions about protected time for program directors, ratios for program administrator support, salary support for core faculty, streamlining data and standardizing documentation, and program autonomy.
Review the testimony
AAIM Joins ECFMG Call to Speak Out Against Visa Duration Status Proposed Rule
October 2020— The Alliance commented October 23 on a proposed visa rule change from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency of the US Department of Homeland Security, that aims to change the process for certain nonimmigrant visa holders to extend their period of authorized stay in the United States. One of the visa classifications targeted by the change is the J-1. AAIM noted in its comments that the J-1 physicians affected by the proposed change are already carefully monitored, making such a rules change unnecessary. Additionally, the Alliance noted that patients in underserved and rural areas, and those in critical access points in large urban areas, would be most impacted by the rules change.
View the letter
Alliance Provides Feedback on the Future of the USMLE Step 2 CS Exam
August 2020—In the interest of identifying and developing an optimal approach to assess clinical skills for licensure, on July 10 NBME invited Alliance constituent organizations to share perspectives on the prior USMLE Step 2 CS exam and how clinical skills would ideally be assessed for licensure going forward.
Read AAIM comments
AAIM Supports the LGBTQ+ Community
June 2020—In recognition of Pride Month and the recent ruling by the US Supreme Court that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 confirming workplace discrimination protections extend to gay and transgender workers, the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) speaks out in support of all LGBTQ+ faculty, administrators, learners, and patients, and their right to be treated equitably in all professional, personal, and health care environments.
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AAIM Statement on Racial Injustice
June 2020—AAIM expresses its horror and sadness in agreement with the rest of the world at the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. For our African-American colleagues, this is a predictable fact of life reflecting several hundred years of history of unchecked police power and judicial authority. We are witnessing a tragic failure of a democratic society wherein African-Americans are continually and systematically treated unfairly, with overt discrimination, and must fear for their very existence.
Read the full statement
ABIM Clarifies Procedural Competence Expectations for Residents and Fellows
ABIM has released a letter clarifying how residents and fellows can demonstrat competence in the performance of invasive procedures.
Download the ABIM letter (PDF) | Review previous ABIM messages
Change to Pass/fail Score Reporting for Step 1
February 2020—USMLE announced today that score reporting for Step 1 will move from a three-digit numeric score to reporting only a pass/fail outcome. A numeric score will continue to be reported for Step 2 Clinical Knowledge and Step 3. Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) will continue to be reported as pass/fail. This policy will take effect no earlier than January 1, 2022.
Learn more | AAIM Response (PDF)
AAIM Joins Ad Hoc Group's Call for Increased NIH Funding
October 2019—The Alliance joined 305 organizations, institutions, and businesses in signing a letter urging appropriators to work quickly to agree to provide a robust increase in funding for NIH in FY 2020.
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Alliance Recommends PA FTE Minimum Requirement to RC-IM
October 2019—At the request of the RC-IM, AAIM submitted language recommending required program administrator FTE equivalents in residency programs. The recommendation—developed by the APDIM Program Administrators Advisory Council—suggests a minimum of one FTE coordinator for programs with 24 or fewer residents and a minimum of 0.5 FTE additional personnel per every additional 14 residents.
Read the language and rationale | Read the invitation letter
AAIM Comments on ACGME IM2035 Paradigm Shift Scenarios
September 2019—In June 2019, the ACGME Review Committee for Internal Medicine invited stakeholders to comment on three proposed paradigm shifts that were developed as part of the ACGME IM2035 scenario planning exercise. Through the intense work of a cross-council-committee work group, AAIM shared its feedback on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and limitations of the preamble and the three paradigm shifts (implementing competency-based medical education, more widespread adoption of the AIRE innovation mechanism, and shifting to a data-based learning accreditation system).
Read the Alliance comments
AAIM Responds to InCUS Recommendations
July 2019—The Alliance has submitted its unified response to the recommendations from the Invitational Conference on USMLE Scoring. While allowing discussion of different perspectives of groups within the Alliance, the response emphasizes that the discipline’s most important priority is to train the best physicians possible to care for patients, which requires better tools to assess readiness and knowledge as well as a comprehensive plan to improve the UME-GME transition.
Learn more | AAIM Statement to NBME and FSMB on USMLE Scoring: February 2019
Alliance Supports Dream Act Legislation
July 2019—Through the auspices of the AAMC GME Coalition, AAIM signed on to a letter urging Congress to pass either the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 or the Dream Act of 2019. The coalition letter maintains that either piece of pending legislation would ensure that members of the health care workforce approved for DACA and other undocumented individuals are able to continue their employment, education, training, and research.
Read the letter
AAIM Signs on to Support Opioid Workforce Act of 2019
June 2019—AAIM recently signed on to support the Opioid Workforce Act of 2019 (H.R. 3414).
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AAIM Responds to ABIM Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Med Boards
April 2019—The ABIM Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Boards proposed changes to the policies for dual certification in Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine.
Read the AAIM response
Alliance Comments on Administrator Ratios
April 2019—AAIM provided support for ACGME's proposed program requirements on administrator ratios as part of the comments on focused program requirement revisions.
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Alliance Supports ABIM Procedural Competency Recommendations
April 2019—The Alliance agrees with the ABIM Internal Medicine Board’s four recommendations that would remove the requirement for a common set of procedures to be performed by all residents for certification eligibility.
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AAIM Signs on to Support Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act
April 2019—AAIM is part of the GME Coalition, which recently sent a letter to encourage Congressional leaders to cosponsor the “The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019” (S. 348, H.R. 1763). This bipartisan legislation would provide a responsible increase in Medicare support for GME to address the impending national physician workforce shortage. The letter notes the projected shortfall of physicians by 2030 and the impact on already vulnerable populations in rural and underserved areas.
Read the letter
AAIM Supports Added Pathway to Gastroenterology , Transplant Hepatology Certification
March 2019—AAIM offered recommendations to the ABIM Gastroenterology Board on approving a pilot program as an added pathway to Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology Certification.
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