Faculty Development-Fellowship Directors

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This ACAM Faculty Development lecture, led by Claudia Moore with Ken Zuha, was a practical overview of how to create, manage, and improve an addiction medicine fellowship in compliance with ACGME requirements.<br /><br />The speakers explained the “alphabet soup” of graduate medical education: ACGME sets the overall standards, specialty Review Committees oversee specific fields, the Designated Institutional Official (DIO) coordinates institutional GME, and program directors and local committees carry out day-to-day training oversight. For addiction medicine, key requirements include a one-year fellowship, defined clinical experience, core faculty and board-certified leadership, required inpatient/outpatient rotations, and structured didactics.<br /><br />A major focus was on the Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) and Program Evaluation Committee (PEC). The CCC reviews all available performance data—evaluations, milestones, exams, patient feedback, scholarly work, and professionalism—and makes milestone recommendations at least semiannually. The PEC evaluates the program itself through a SWOT analysis, identifies strengths and problems, and develops an annual program evaluation and performance improvement plan for ACGME reporting.<br /><br />The presenters also walked through the academic year timeline, emphasizing that program administration is a year-round cycle of evaluation, recruitment, reporting, curriculum development, and continuous improvement. They stressed the importance of timely, honest feedback; formative versus summative evaluations; using 360-degree feedback when possible; and keeping faculty lists lean and purposeful. Practical advice included scheduling committee meetings early, using coordinators effectively, and reviewing ACGME documents carefully with a highlighter.<br /><br />Overall, the talk framed fellowship leadership as an ongoing process of communication, reflection, documentation, and continuous improvement, always asking: “Is this best for the fellow?”

Keywords

ACAM Faculty Development

addiction medicine fellowship

ACGME requirements

Clinical Competency Committee

Program Evaluation Committee

graduate medical education

milestone recommendations

faculty development

curriculum improvement

continuous quality improvement