The change in policy will apply beginning with fellows graduating in June 2020.
The ACGME Program Requirements in GO do not recognize or require the additional training after 36 months. The additional 12 months are considered unaccredited training. There are no longer subspecialty standards or requirements for the education, training, or outcomes of this additional training.
Some programs may offer or require four years of GO fellowship training, but the ACGME and ABOG do not have accreditation or certification standards or requirements for the additional 12 months of training. Starting in the 2019-2020 AY, all GO fellows will have the same ABOG eligibility requirements.
The eligibility requirements will be outlined in the 2020 Bulletin for Certification in GO. It will state:
The duration of training is a minimum of 36 months, and rotations must be in a minimum of one-month blocks. A program must ensure the training for each fellow is allocated as follows:
-- 24 months of clinical training
-- 12 months of protected research
- Conduct research leading to a thesis meeting ABOG certification requirements
- Research time must be scheduled in blocks of not less than one-month duration and while in a research block, no more than 10% (four hours) of the fellow's time in any week may be spent in clinical duties
- Complete written thesis and present work before GO Division and Program Director by completion of fellowship
Yes. There is no need to change any fellowship program, and it is not the intent of ABOG policy to mandate programs to move to a 3-year duration. Some GO fellowship programs offer or require additional time for their fellowships for clinical, research, or other educational opportunities (e.g., MPH degree). These programs offer an additional unaccredited year of fellowship in research or clinical electives as a 4-year fellowship. All ACGME and ABOG educational requirements and required experiences must be completed within the three ACGME-accredited years.
Fellowship program directors must complete the ACGME-required Final Evaluation verifying that the fellow has demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to enter autonomous practice in GO. This final evaluation must be completed at the end of the 36 months of accredited fellowship training.
Fellowship program directors must complete the ABOG attestation of completion of 36 months of fellowship training when the fellow meets the ABOG requirements for certification, including completion of the research for a thesis and presentation of the thesis to their GO Division.
The ACGME program requirements and ABOG certification requirements expect that all fellows must complete a minimum of 12 months of research, complete an acceptable thesis, and present the work on the thesis to the GO Division by the end of the 36 months of accredited training. Three- and 4-year fellows should be expected to meet these requirements whether the fellowship ends at 36 months or 48 months.
Fellows may choose to submit a different thesis for their GO Certifying Examination if additional or different work is completed in the additional 12 months of fellowship.
ABOG subspecialty diplomas only display the date of certification. The displays of all fellows' certification will not change.
Yes. The additional year will be added to the eligibility period for candidates to achieve OB GYN specialty and GO subspecialty certification as needed.