ACGME Responds to the House Ways and Means Committee Request for Information on Resident and Fellow Education on Racial Health Equity
The ACGME responded to a letter from US Rep. Richard E. Neal, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, updating the committee on the steps the ACGME is taking to address racial health inequities in the United States through its role as the largest accreditor of residency and fellowship programs and the institutions that sponsor them.
In his request, Rep. Neal asked the ACGME to answer four questions on what the ACGME is doing to educate residents/fellows about implicit bias and systemic racism in medicine as well as its role to inform learners about the problem with racialized algorithms and how that could negatively affect outcome for people of color.
"I would greatly appreciate an update on the work ACGME is undertaking to review and update the strategy and standards for training medical residents on clinical decision support tools like those that are known to fuel inequities in care. Collaboration between Congress and the ACGME can help address these important issues," Rep. Neal wrote.
In its response, the ACGME discusses:
- the creation of the ACGME's Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion;
- how the ACGME is supporting racial and ethnic diversity of leading voices in discussion of strategy development related to health equity education in medical education and training and accreditation;
- the incorporation of requirements related to population health into the Common Program Requirements;
- the inclusion of examples of how residents/fellows can demonstrate competence in areas of health equity and reducing health disparities;
- the ACGME's dedication to advancing the Quadruple Aim by developing educational goals and methods assuring that the clinical learning environment is optimized to achieve the Quadruple Aim and instills that knowledge and practice in learners; and
- the ACGME's collaborations to advance knowledge and solutions that eliminate disparities and achieve equity in care for all populations, especially the underserved.
Contact
