Benchmarks for Support and Outcomes for Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Programs: A 5-Year Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Graduate Medical Education
• Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

Background:

• Combined internal medicine and pediatrics (medicine-pediatrics) residencies were accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in June 2006.
• This accreditation was separate from their corresponding categorical residencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of ACGME accreditation on medicine-pediatrics programs.
• Assessed changes in financial and personnel support, National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) match rates, board examination performance, and graduate outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Annual online surveys were administered to members of the Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association from 2009 to 2013.
• Surveys collected data on program characteristics, director support, recruitment, ambulatory training, and graduate outcomes.
• Over 79% of responders completed the entire survey annually, with a sample size of 60 program directors.

Main Results:

• Increased dual-trained program directors (89% to 93%) and program director salaries ($134,000 to $185,000).
• Enhanced program support, including full-time equivalent staff (0.32 to 0.42) and associate directors (35% to 78%).
• Improved NRMP match rates (49% in 2005 to 99% in 2013) and increased resident interest in hospital medicine careers.

Conclusions:

• ACGME accreditation has led to widespread improvements in support for medicine-pediatrics programs since 2006.
• The findings indicate a positive and significant impact of specialty accreditation on program resources and outcomes.