The Expanding Role of Designated Institutional Officials in Graduate Medical Education

Bibliographic Data

ID21615115
AuthorsJeffrey S Berns (0000-0002-5478-6753, is vice president and associate dean of graduate medical education, designated institutional official, and professor of medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania J.S. Berns, corresponding author), Joshua Goldstein (0000-0001-9275-9054, Northwestern University), Joshua L Goldstein (is senior associate dean for graduate medical education, designated institutional official, and professor of pediatrics, medical education, and neurology, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, Illinois J.L. Goldstein ; [email protected]), Diane M Hartmann (is emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynecology and emeritus senior associate dean for graduate medical education, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York D.M. Hartmann ; [email protected]), Kenneth Simons (is designated institutional official emeritus, Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, Milwaukee, Wisconsin K. Simons ; [email protected]), Kenneth B Simons (Medical College of Wisconsin), Lawrence Opas (is senior associate dean for graduate medical education, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, and designated institutional official, Los Angeles General Medical Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California L. Opas ; [email protected]), Lawrence M Opas (University of Southern California)
Year2025
Volume100
Issue2
Pages131-136
Publication date2025-02-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAcademic Medicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1040-2446 • E-ISSN: 1938-808X
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/acm.0000000000005922
PMID39761519
OpenAlexW4404470623
LanguageEN
References cited4

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the quality of graduate medical education (GME) training across the United States. Central to the success of this mission are designated institutional officials (DIOs), who usually serve as chief GME officers within the ACGME-accredited sponsoring institutions (SIs). Despite the critical role of DIOs, the qualifications, level of administrative support, and responsibilities of DIOs are not defined and vary significantly among SIs. Although responsibilities mandated by ACGME Institutional Requirements provide a framework, the actual scope of work of DIOs often extends far beyond what is outlined in the ACGME Institutional Requirements, involving collaboration with a wide variety of institutional stakeholders and harnessing the GME enterprise to achieve institutional goals. Nearly all DIOs face a multitude of challenges, including adapting to new ACGME requirements and initiatives, addressing resident and fellow wellness concerns, promoting health equity, nurturing scholarly endeavors, and advocating for their residents and fellows. Additionally, emerging technologies and innovations as well as the changing financial climate for SIs and the health care facilities that host GME learners can present both educational opportunities and new challenges for DIOs in ensuring trainees are prepared for their roles as the next generation of physicians. As the health care landscape evolves, DIOs will continue to play a vital role in shaping the educational experiences of physicians in training while balancing institutional priorities and ensuring high-quality patient care

Accreditation · Graduate education · Graduate medical education · Higher education · Medical education · MEDLINE · Political science · Innovations in Medical Education · Law · Medicine

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