PUBLISHED in AOA CORD Report – June 2012
By Vicky Norton and Kathy Walsh, ARCOS Board of Directors Members at Large
What can achieving TAGME certification do for your program coordinator? As coordinators, we promote the professional development of our residents. Having TAGME certification shows professional development and a commitment from the program coordinators with the residency program.
To have a National Board Certification for Training Administrators of Graduate Medical Education (GME), a program coordinator is demonstrating their efforts to enhance their own program. There may not be a financial reward for this certification, but with the complexity of GME and the many changes that are taking place with ACGME, Medicare, ABMS, etc. that have an impact on all of our training and academic institutions, the Programs and Program Directors look to the program coordinators for the knowledge and expertise that they possess and continue to attain. The program coordinator understands the rules and regulations and they are the regulatory bodies for the training program. The C-TAGME initials behind the program coordinators name demonstrates to the GME world, their knowledge base and professionalism. The ACGME recognizes the TAGME certification for program coordinators.
We at ARCOS believe that all program coordinators should be given the opportunity to achieve TAGME certification. We are asking the Program Directors to support their program coordinators request to achieve TAGME certification. The initial certification requirements for TAGME include; 3 years of continuous experience in your clinical specialty, followed by 10 credit hours of educational meetings within 3 years. The ARCOS annual conferences are an excellent resource for this. ARCOS strives to bring the newest ideas and/or changes to our members so that they can continue to develop and support graduate medical education within their program. In addition, they also require at least 2 professional developments experiences. An example of fulfilling this, we think is easy. Coordinators are most likely involved in the orientation or the in-service training for your residents and these can meet one of the required criteria for them. There is a fee of $300 for this certification. If your department or institution will not pay for this, ARCOS offers a grant to support the program coordinators.
ARCOS believes that this certification should be recognized by the Human Resource departments of our institutions, with a strong belief that achieving and maintaining this certification shows a real sense of professionalism. It has also been said by one of our members, that TAGME certification should be equivalence for residency coordinators as the ABOS Maintenance of Certification is for the physicians. We are asking for the Program Directors to support and promote TAGME to their own institutions for all program coordinators.
More information and the application for TAGME can be obtained at www.tagme.org and information on ARCOS (Association of Residency Coordinators in Orthopaedic Surgery) membership and the grant application for TAGME can be found at www.arcosonline.org An educational session on TAGME is presented at the annual ARCOS conference and ARCOS also provides space for the TAGME Monitored Assessment at the annual meeting.
Vicky Norton, C-TAGME is a residency coordinator at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine since April, 2007. She manages 27 residents, 3 non-ACGME fellowship programs, Sub-I’s and visiting medical students. Vicky will complete her BS degree in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in June.
Kathy Walsh, C-TAGME is a residency coordinator at Akron General Medical Center since April 2001. She manages 15 residents, Sub-I’s, visiting medical students and provides administrative support to the orthopaedic department.