Update on Certification

Ruth H. Nawotniak, MS, CTAGMEUB – SUNY, Dept. of Surgery

President, TAGME, STAC

Certification – TAGME

• Pilot Phase – March 2005 – March 2006

Certification – TAGME

• General Surgery• Pediatrics• Psychiatry

Certification – TAGME

• Pending approval at May Board meeting– Thoracic Surgery– Vascular Surgery

Certification - TAGME

• Task Forces– Diagnostic Radiology– Neurology– OB/GYN– Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Certification – TAGME

• Pediatrics– 3 initial certifications– 21 applicants for certification – ITE site– 16 successfully completed and awarded– Next assessment time – April 2006

Certification – TAGME

• Psychiatry– 5 initial certifications– Assessment tools approved – November 2005– First assessment time – Spring 2006

Certification – TAGME

• General Surgery– 18 initial certifications– 12 applicants for certification (prior to ARCS)

• 3 – ACS meeting – October 2005• 9 – ABSITE – January 2006

– Recommendations will be presented at May TAGME Board Meeting

– 6 assessments to be reviewed – ARCS 2006– Next assessment time – ACS - October 2006

Current Status

• 26 initial certifications conferred• 24 assessments completed and reviewed

– 17 successfully completed = 70% successful completion rate

– 5 successfully completed one part = 20% partial successful completion rate

– 2 did not successfully complete = 10% unsuccessful completion rate

• 43 certifications conferred

Most Common Problems

• Incomplete answers• Inappropriate answers• Insufficient or superficial answers • Sloppy work – unprofessionally submitted

– Pencil – Answers written all over the page with

directional arrows• Did not follow directions

Results of Pilot

• Revisions made in assessment tools• Operational changes made

Revisions Made to Assessment Tools

• In general, Advanced work effort eliminated

• 3 questions taken from Advanced work effort and put into Required work effort

• About 10% of the assessment was re-written to clarify

• Directions for work effort product expanded

Operational Changes

• Length of time increased from 4 hours to 5 hours

• ABSITE is no longer accepted as an assessment site– Confidentiality issues– Mailing raised timing concerns / issues– Email not appropriate

Assessment Taking Tips

• Assessment is not to be taken lightly if certification is to mean anything

• This is a mark of your professionalism, treat it as such

• Glibness and superficial answers are neither appropriate nor acceptable

• Read, read, read• Organize, organize, organize• Familiarize yourself with documents

Assessment Taking Tips

• Writing on your documents and assessment tool is permissible and encouraged during the monitored assessment time

• Keep the answer sheet free of extraneous markings

Assessment Taking Tips

• Suggestions for organization of documents:–Put all outline marks on each page–Answer questions in your

documents with question number, then transfer citation to answer sheet

–Use highlighter on documents

Current Surgery

• Subscription for coordinators• Started with January/February 2006 issue• Program Coordinator’s Corner

Current Surgery

• Program Coordinator’s Corner• A feature of every issue• An opportunity for coordinators to write and publish• Degree not required• All general surgery coordinators are eligible to

contribute• Topics are not limited – concepts and ideas; “how

to”; research• Instructions for authors offers guidelines and

structural requirements

Current Surgery

• Program Coordinators’ Editorial Board– 6 members: Ellie Gray, Ava Fulbright, Julie

Gully, Machell Thompson, Gretchen Schultz, Ruth Nawotniak (expand to 8 in the future)

Current Surgery

• Process – Each article submitted is reviewed by 3

reviewers / comments and suggestions given– Completed article sent to Dr. Weigelt for his

review and editing– Finished article submitted to Current Surgery– Edited article returned for review– Notification of acceptance and publish date

Professional Benchmark

• With inclusion in journal brings kudos and responsibility– Kudos – acknowledged for ability and value– Responsibility – each journal needs to have

an article– Ultimately - Reflection upon coordinators and,

by association, ARCS

• Sometimes you get what you ask for