TEACHING RESOURCES

Family Medicine Residency Accreditation Toolkit

Use the Residency Accreditation Toolkit to get tips, techniques, and tools to help your program meet ACGME accreditation requirements. Log in to your STFM member account using the login button on this page to gain access to the full toolkit. Scroll halfway to find the login link and instructions After logging in, this page will refresh. Links to all toolkit pages will be halfway down this page.

With the launch of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Milestones Project in 2014, residency programs faced new challenges in meeting the needs of their learners and fulfilling accreditation requirements. The assessment paradigm shifted from a checklist-driven system to one that emphasized the role of formative feedback in professional development. In light of these changes, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) assembled a task force of medical educators to create a single resource for information regarding accreditation and resident assessment for family medicine residency programs. The STFM Residency Accreditation Toolkit, which was developed in 2014 and is maintained by the STFM Graduate Medical Education Committee, represents the culmination of these efforts.The resource includes ready-to-use tools, faculty development goals, and best practices that can be shared between programs. Streamline processes, train your faculty, empower your residency coordinator, use technology for accreditation support, and create a culture of assessment and performance improvement.This toolkit will provide you with:

An explanation and rationale for residency accreditation requirements and processes, and competency-based resident assessment using the ACGME Milestones
The critical components of accreditation
Steps for maintaining accreditation
Tips for developing resident assessment tools, resident and faculty scholarly activities, and faculty development plans
Links to essential references and helpful additional resources

Residency Accreditation Toolkit Topics

STFM members can access information on the following topics in the STFM Family Medicine Residency Accreditation Toolkit:

Institutional Requirements
Program Requirements for Family Medicine
Initial Accreditation Process
Accreditation Maintenance
The ACGME Milestones and Competency-Based Resident Evaluation
The American Board of Family Medicine
Faculty Development
The Non-Clinical Curriculum
Resident and Faculty Scholarly Activities
Osteopathic Recognition and the Single Accreditation System

Access the Full Residency Accreditation Toolkit

Additional resources within the Residency Accreditation Toolkit are available for free to STFM members. Log in using the button link below. After you log in, this page will automatically reload. Scroll to this spot to find links to the members-only pages and content.

Residency Accreditation Toolkit Task Force

Ted Epperly, MD, Family Medicine Residency of Idaho, Boise, Task Force Chair
Brandy Deffenbacher, MD, University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency
Timothy Graham, MD, Mount Carmel Family Medicine, Columbus, OH
Beth Anne Fox, MD, East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine
Jeff Haney, MD, Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency
Barbara Joyce, PhD, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Tina Kenyon, ACSW, New Hampshire Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency
Fred Miser, MD, Ohio State University Medical Center
Richard Neill, MD, University of Pennsylvania
Judith Pauwels, MD, University of Washington School of Medicine
Erika Ringdahl, MD, University of Missouri Family Medicine Residency
Stan Kozakowski, MD, AAFP Residency Program Solutions Liaison
Mary Theobald, MBA, Staff Liaison
Traci Nolte, CAE, Staff Technical Support

11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway

Leawood, KS 66211

(800) 274-7928

stfmoffice@stfm.org

Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

STFM's AI Assistant is designed to help you find information and answers about Family Medicine education. While it's a powerful tool, getting the best results depends on how you phrase your questions. Here's how to make the most of your interactions:

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Be Clear and Specific: Use precise terms and avoid vague words like "it" or "that" without clear references.

Example:

Instead of: "Can you help me with that?"

Try: "Can you help me update our Family Medicine clerkship curriculum?"

Why this is important: Ambiguous language can confuse the AI, leading to irrelevant or unclear responses. Clear references help the chatbot understand exactly what you're asking.

2. Use Specific Terms

Identify the Subject Clearly: Clearly state the subject or area you need information about.

Example:

Instead of: "What resources does STFM provide?"

Try: "I'm a new program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship. What STFM resources are available to help me design or update clerkship curricula?"

Why this is better: Providing details about your role ("program coordinator") and your goal ("design or update clerkship curricula") gives the chatbot enough context to offer more targeted information.

3. Don't Assume the AI Knows Everything

Provide Necessary Details:The STFM AI Assistant has been trained on STFM's business and resources. The AI can only use the information you provide or that it has been trained on.

Example:

Instead of: "How can I improve my program?"

Try: "As a program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship, what resources does STFM provide to help me improve student engagement and learning outcomes?"

Why this is important: Including relevant details helps the AI understand your specific situation, leading to more accurate and useful responses.

4. Reset if You Change Topics

Clear Chat History When Switching Topics:

If you move to a completely new topic and the chatbot doesn't recognize the change, click the Clear Chat History button and restate your question.

Note: Clearing your chat history removes all previous context from the chatbot's memory.

Why this is important: Resetting ensures the AI does not carry over irrelevant information, which could lead to confusion or inaccurate answers.

5. Provide Enough Context

Include Background Information: The more context you provide, the better the chatbot can understand and respond to your question.

Example:

Instead of: "What are the best practices?"

Try: "In the context of Family Medicine education, what are the best practices for integrating clinical simulations into the curriculum?"

Why this is important: Specific goals, constraints, or preferences allow the AI to tailor its responses to your unique needs.

6. Ask One Question at a Time

Break Down Complex Queries: If you have multiple questions, ask them separately.

Example:

Instead of: "What are the requirements for faculty development, how do I register for conferences, and what grants are available?"

Try: Start with "What are the faculty development requirements for Family Medicine educators?" Then follow up with your other questions after receiving the response.

Why this is important: This approach ensures each question gets full attention and a complete answer.

Examples of Good vs. Bad Prompts

Bad Prompt

"What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's bad: The AI Chat Assistant has no information about your background or needs.

Good Prompt

"I'm the chair of the Department of Family Medicine at a major university, and I plan to retire next year. I'd like to stay involved with Family Medicine education. What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's good: The AI Chat Assistant knows your role, your future plans, and your interest in staying involved, enabling it to provide more relevant advice.

Double Check Important Information

While the AI Chat Assistant is a helpful tool, it can still produce inaccurate or incomplete responses. Always verify critical information with reliable sources or colleagues before taking action.

Technical Limitations

The Chat Assistant:

Cannot access external websites or open links
Cannot process or view images
Cannot make changes to STFM systems or process transactions
Cannot access real-time information (like your STFM Member Profile information)

Membership

Community

About

Advocacy

Governance

Key Initiatives

Journals

Other Publications

CAFM Educational Research Alliance (CERA)

Research Resources

Annual Spring Conference

Conference on Medical Student Education

Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement

General Information

Certificate Programs

Webinars

Online Courses

Fellowships

Other Faculty Training

STFM Curriculum

More Curriculum Resources

Resources Fundamental to Family Medicine Education

Topic-Specific Aggregated Resources

Preceptor Recruitment and Retention Resources

Resources For

Awards

Scholarships

STFM Project Fund

Family Medicine Residency Accreditation Toolkit

Residency Accreditation Toolkit Topics

Access the Full Residency Accreditation Toolkit

Additional resources within the Residency Accreditation Toolkit are available for free to STFM members. Log in using the button link below. After you log in, this page will automatically reload. Scroll to this spot to find links to the members-only pages and content.

Residency Accreditation Toolkit Task Force

Contact Us

Events

Deadlines

Useful Links

AI Chatbot Tips

Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Example:

2. Use Specific Terms

Example:

3. Don't Assume the AI Knows Everything

Example:

4. Reset if You Change Topics

5. Provide Enough Context

Example:

6. Ask One Question at a Time

Example:

Examples of Good vs. Bad Prompts

Bad Prompt

Good Prompt

Double Check Important Information

Technical Limitations

STFM AI Assistant