Eligibility Exception Decisions by Specialty Common ...

Eligibility Exception Decisions by Specialty

Common Program Requirements Section III.A.

Specialty/Subspecialty Allow Eligibility
Exceptions

Allergy and Immunology* Yes

Anesthesiology Subspecialties Yes

Dermatology Subspecialties Yes

Diagnostic Radiology Subspecialties Yes

Emergency Medicine Subspecialties Yes

Family Medicine Subspecialties Yes

Internal Medicine Subspecialties Yes

Medical Genetics and Genomics Subspecialties No

Neurological Surgery Subspecialties No

Neurology Subspecialties No

Nuclear Medicine* Yes

Obstetrics and Gynecology Subspecialties No

Ophthalmology Subspecialties Yes

Orthopaedic Surgery Subspecialties Yes

Otolaryngology Subspecialties No

Pathology Subspecialties Yes

Pediatrics Subspecialties Yes

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Subspecialties No

Plastic Surgery Subspecialties No

Preventive Medicine Subspecialties Yes

Psychiatry Subspecialties No

Radiation Oncology Subspecialties No

Surgery Subspecialties No

Thoracic Surgery Subspecialties No

Urology Subspecialties No

* The Review Committee does allow the exception to the eligibility requirements specified in Section III.A.2.b) for
residency programs that require completion of a prerequisite residency program prior to admission.

©2014 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Updated 7/1/2015
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Common Program Requirements Effective July 1, 2016

Fellow Eligibility Exception Language

III.A.2.b) Fellow Eligibility Exception

III.A.2.b).(1) A Review Committee may grant the following exception to the fellowship eligibility
III.A.2.b).(2) requirements:
III.A.2.b).(3)
An ACGME-accredited fellowship program may accept an exceptionally qualified
applicant**, who does not satisfy the eligibility requirements listed in Sections
III.A.2. and III.A.2.a), but who does meet all of the following additional
qualifications and conditions: (Core)

Assessment by the program director and fellowship selection committee
of the applicant’s suitability to enter the program, based on prior training
and review of the summative evaluations of training in the core specialty;
and (Core)

Review and approval of the applicant’s exceptional qualifications by the
GMEC or a subcommittee of the GMEC; and (Core)

Satisfactory completion of the United States Medical Licensing
Examination (USMLE) Steps 1, 2, and, if the applicant is eligible, 3, and;

(Core)

III.A.2.b).(4) For an international graduate, verification of Educational Commission for
III.A.2.b).(5) Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification; and, (Core)

III.A.2.b).(5).(a) Applicants accepted by this exception must complete fellowship
Milestones evaluation (for the purposes of establishment of baseline
performance by the Clinical Competency Committee), conducted by the
receiving fellowship program within six weeks of matriculation. This
evaluation may be waived for an applicant who has completed an
ACGME International-accredited residency based on the applicant’s
Milestones evaluation conducted at the conclusion of the residency
program. (Core)

If the trainee does not meet the expected level of Milestones competency
following entry into the fellowship program, the trainee must undergo a
period of remediation, overseen by the Clinical Competency Committee
and monitored by the GMEC or a subcommittee of the GMEC. This
period of remediation must not count toward time in fellowship training.

(Core)

** An exceptionally qualified applicant has (1) completed a non-ACGME-
accredited residency program in the core specialty, and (2) demonstrated clinical
excellence, in comparison to peers, throughout training. Additional evidence of
exceptional qualifications is required, which may include one of the following: (a)
participation in additional clinical or research training in the specialty or
subspecialty; (b) demonstrated scholarship in the specialty or subspecialty; (c)
demonstrated leadership during or after residency training; (d) completion of an
ACGME-International-accredited residency program.

[Each Review Committee will decide no later than December 31, 2013 whether the exception specified
above will be permitted. If the Review Committee will not allow this exception, the program requirements
will include the following statement]:

III.A.2.c) The Review Committee for _____ does not allow exceptions to the Eligibility
Requirements for Fellowship Programs in Section III.A.2. (Core)

©2014 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Updated 7/1/2015
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Eligibility Exception Decisions: Multidisciplinary Subspecialties

Multidisciplinary Allow Eligibility Exceptions DO NOT Allow Eligibility
Subspecialty Anesthesiology Exceptions
Clinical Informatics Diagnostic Radiology
Emergency Medicine Medical Genetics and
Dermatopathology Family Medicine Genomics
Endovascular Surgical Internal Medicine
Neuroradiology Pathology Neurological Surgery
Female Pelvic Medicine and Pediatrics Neurology
Reconstructive Surgery Preventive Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology
Geriatric Medicine Dermatology Urology
Hand Surgery Pathology
Hospice and Palliative Diagnostic Radiology Plastic Surgery
Medicine General Surgery
Family Medicine Psychiatry
Medical Toxicology Internal Medicine Radiation Oncology
Molecular Genetic Pathology Orthopaedic Surgery
Neuromuscular Medicine Medical Genetics and
Pain Medicine Anesthesiology Genomics
Sleep Medicine Family Medicine
Sports Medicine Internal Medicine Neurology
Pediatrics Physical Medicine and Rehab
Undersea and Hyperbaric Emergency Medicine Neurology
Medicine Preventive Medicine Physical Medicine and Rehab
Pathology Neurology
Psychiatry
Anesthesiology Physical Medicine and Rehab

Internal Medicine
Pediatrics
Emergency Medicine
Family Medicine
Pediatrics
Emergency Medicine
Preventive Medicine

©2014 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Updated 7/1/2015
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List of Specialties and Subspecialties

Allergy and Immunology Internal Medicine cont. Pediatrics cont.
Anesthesiology Transplant Hepatology Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
Hospice and Palliative Medicine*
Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Interventional Radiology Internal Medicine-Pediatrics +
Clinical Informatics* Medical Genetics and Genomics Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Critical Care Anesthesiology Pediatric Cardiology
Hospice and Palliative Medicine* Clinical Informatics* Pediatric Critical Care
Obstetric Anesthesiology Medical Biochemical Genetics Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Pain Medicine* Molecular Genetic Pathology* Pediatric Endocrinology
Pediatric Anesthesiology Neurological Surgery Pediatric Gastroenterology
Colon and Rectal Surgery Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology* Pediatric Hematology Oncology
Dermatology Neurology Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Dermatopathology* Brain Injury Medicine* Pediatric Nephrology
Micrographic Surgery and Child Neurology Pediatric Pulmonology
Clinical Neurophysiology Pediatric Rheumatology
Dermatologic Oncology Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology* Pediatric Transplant Hepatology
Diagnostic Radiology Epilepsy Sleep Medicine*
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Sports Medicine*
Abdominal Radiology Neuromuscular Medicine*
Clinical Informatics* Pain Medicine* Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology* Sleep Medicine* Brain Injury Medicine*
Musculoskeletal Radiology Vascular Neurology Neuromuscular Medicine*
Neuroradiology Nuclear Medicine Pain Medicine*
Nuclear Radiology Obstetrics and Gynecology Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine
Pediatric Radiology Female Pelvic Medicine and Spinal Cord Injury Medicine
Vascular Interventional Radiology Sports Medicine*
Emergency Medicine Reconstructive Surgery*
Clinical Informatics* Gynecologic Oncology Plastic Surgery
Emergency Medical Services Maternal-Fetal Medicine Craniofacial Plastic Surgery
Medical Toxicology* Reproductive Endocrinology and Hand Surgery*
Pediatric Emergency Medicine*
Sports Medicine* Infertility Preventive Medicine
Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine* Ophthalmology Clinical Informatics*
Family Medicine Medical Toxicology*
Clinical Informatics* Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine*
Geriatric Medicine* Surgery
Hospice and Palliative Medicine* Psychiatry
Sports Medicine* Orthopaedic Surgery Addiction Psychiatry
Internal Medicine Adult Reconstructive Orthopaedics Brain Injury Medicine*
Adult Congenital Heart Disease Foot and Ankle Orthopaedics Child Psychiatry
Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Hand Surgery* Forensic Psychiatry
Musculoskeletal Oncology Geriatric Psychiatry
Cardiology Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Hospice and Palliative Medicine*
Cardiovascular Disease Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Psychosomatic Medicine
Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Orthopaedic Trauma Sleep Medicine*
Clinical Informatics* Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery
Critical Care Medicine Radiation Oncology
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Otolaryngology Hospice and Palliative Medicine*
Neurotology
Metabolism Pediatric Otolaryngology Surgery
Gastroenterology Complex General Surgical Oncology
Geriatric Medicine* Pathology Hand Surgery*
Hematology Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine Pediatric Surgery
Hematology and Medical Oncology Chemical Pathology Surgical Critical Care
Hospice and Palliative Medicine* Clinical Informatics* Vascular Surgery
Infectious Diseases Cytopathology
Internal Medicine-Pediatrics+ Forensic Pathology Thoracic Surgery
Interventional Cardiology Hematology Pathology Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Medical Oncology Medical Microbiology
Nephrology Molecular Genetic Pathology* Urology
Pulmonary Critical Care Neuropathology Female Pelvic Medicine and
Pulmonary Disease Pediatric Pathology Reconstructive Surgery*
Rheumatology Selective Pathology Pediatric Urology
Sleep Medicine*
Pediatrics Transitional Year
Adolescent Medicine
Child Abuse
Clinical Informatics*

* Multidisciplinary subspecialty
+ Combined Program

©2014 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Updated 9/2015
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