Chattanooga Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC)

Sudave Mendiratta, MD, Interim Designated Institutional Official, and Chair of the GMEC

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires every Sponsoring Institution to have a Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) that, in cooperation with the Designated Institutional Official (DIO), oversees the GME Programs sponsored by the institution.  Meetings must be conducted at least once each quarter.  The ACGME requires that voting members must include:

• Designated Institutional Official (DIO)
• A minimum of two Program Directors of ACGME-Accredited Programs
• A minimum of two peer-selected Residents from its ACGME-Accredited Programs
• A quality improvement or patient safety officer or designee

Our GMEC is chaired by the Interim DIO (Dr. Sudave Mendiratta).  Voting Members include:

• All Department Chairs
• All Program Directors
• Dean, UT College of Medicine - Chattanooga
• Associate Dean, Research
• Assistant Dean, Well-Being and Undergraduate Medical Education
• Assistant Dean, Finance and Administration
• Director of Quality for CLER
• Peer-selected Residents/Fellows from each Department
• House Staff Association Officers
• Erlanger CEO
• Erlanger Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
• Erlanger Vice President, Patient Safety and Quality
• Erlanger Chief Medical Officer
• Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Medical Education

Non-Voting Members include:

• All Associate Program Directors (may vote when representing a Chair and/or Program Director)
• Erlanger Chief Nursing Officer
• Erlanger Chief Information Officer
• Erlanger Chief Medical Information Officer
• Chief Medical Officer, Erlanger Medical Group
• Chief, Medical Staff, Erlanger Health System
• Other Erlanger Administration, e.g., Chief Financial Officer (may vote if representing Erlanger Administration)
• GME Lead Coordinator
• GME Financial Specialist

We ask that at least one department official (Chair, Program Director, or Associate Program Director) represent each Department at the GMEC meetings.  Our GMEC usually meets ten times per year -- the third Tuesday of each month except December and June). 

Each GMEC meeting must be attended by at least one resident representative.  Minutes must be maintained and must document the requirements and responsibilities identified as part of the ACGME Institutional Requirements.  Minutes and GMEC documentation for our Campus are the responsibility of the Director of Graduate and Medical Student Education.

Responsibilities of the GMEC include:

Oversight of:

• ACGME accreditation status of the Sponsoring Institution and each of its ACGME-accredited program
• Quality of the GME learning and working environment within the Sponsoring Institution, each of its ACGME-Accredited programs, and its participating sites;
• Quality of educational experiences in each ACGME-accredited program that lead to measurable achievement of educational outcomes as identified in the ACGME Common and specialty-/subspecialty-specific Program Requirements;
• ACGME-accredited program(s)’ annual program evaluations and self-studies;
• All processes related to reductions and closures of individual ACGME-accredited programs, major participating sites, and the Sponsoring Institution; and,
• Provision of summary information of patient safety reports to residents, fellows, faculty members, and other clinical staff members. At a minimum, this oversight must include verification that such summary information is being provided.

Review and Approval of:

• Institutional GME policies and procedures;
• Annual recommendations to the Sponsoring Institution’s administration regarding resident/fellow stipends and benefits;
• Applications for ACGME accreditation of new programs;
• Requests for permanent changes in resident/fellow complement;
• Major changes in each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ structure or duration of education;
• Additions and deletions of each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ participating sites;
• Appointment of new program directors;
• Progress reports requested by a Review Committee;
• Responses to Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) reports;
• Requests for exceptions to clinical and educational work hour requirements;
• Voluntary withdrawal of ACGME program accreditation;
• Requests for appeal of an adverse action by a Review Committee; and,
• Appeal presentations to an ACGME Appeals Panel.

The GME Committee is responsible to establish and implement policies and procedures regarding the quality of education and the work environment for residents, review and make recommendations on resident stipends and benefits, establish and maintain oversight of program directors, establish and implement policies regarding duty hours, ensure programs provide appropriate supervision, review all ACGME program accreditation letters, and approve correspondence to ACGME.

The GMEC must demonstrate effective oversight of the Sponsoring Institution’s accreditation through an Annual Institutional Review (AIR). 

The GMEC must identify institutional performance indicators for the AIR, to include, at a minimum: 

• the most recent ACGME institutional letter of notification;
• results of ACGME surveys of residents/fellows and core faculty members; and,
• each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ ACGME accreditation information, including accreditation statuses and citations.

The DIO must annually submit a written executive summary of the AIR to the Sponsoring Institution’s Governing Body. The written executive summary must include:

• a summary of institutional performance on indicators for the AIR; and,
• action plans and performance monitoring procedures resulting from the AIR.

The GMEC must demonstrate effective oversight of underperforming program(s) through a Special Review process.   The Special Review process must include a protocol that:

• establishes criteria for identifying underperformance; and
• results in a report that describes the quality improvement goals, the corrective actions, and the process for GMEC monitoring of outcomes. 

Role	Name	Title/Department
Chair, GMEC (Voting Member)	Sudave Mendiratta, MD, FACEP	Interim DIO; and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine
Deans and Dean's Office Administration (Voting Members)	James W. Haynes, MD, MBA, FAAFP	Dean, College of Medicine - Chattanooga
	Jeffrey Bennett, MD, MBOE	Director of Quality for CLER
	Crystal Maddox, MPA	Assistant Dean, Finance & Administation
	Mukta Panda, MD, MACP, FRCP-London	Assistant Dean, Well-Being & Undergraduate Medical Education
	Giuseppe Pizzorno, PhD, PharmD	Associate Dean, Research
GME Administration (Voting Member)	Pamela Scott, C-TAGME	Director, Graduate & Undergraduate Medical Education
GME Administration (Non-Voting Members)	Jacqueline Hogan, CAP	GME Financial Specialist
	Vacant	GME Lead Coordinator
Erlanger Administration (Voting Members)	Jim Coleman, Jr	Erlanger President & CEO
	Donald Barker, MD, FACS	Erlanger Interim Chief Medical Officer
	Robert Maloney, FACHE, DPT, MBA	Erlanger Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Erlanger Administration (Non-Voting Members)  Note:  One of these below may vote to represent either the Erlanger CEO or CMO if not present.	Dave Garrett	Erlanger Chief Information Officer
	TBA	Erlanger Chief Medical Information Officer
	Christopher Poole, MD	Erlanger Chief of the Medical Staff
	Rachel Harris, BSN, RN	Erlanger Chief Nursing Executive
Department Chairs (Voting Members)	Leslie Griffin, MD, MPH	Interim Chair, Department of Family Medicine; and Program Director, Family Medicine Residency
	Jigme Sethi, MD, FACP	Interim Chair, Department of Medicine
	Mounzer Yassin-Kassab, MD, MS	Chair, Department of Neurology; and Program Director, Advanced Neurology Residency
	Stephen DePasquale, MD, FACS	Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
	Richard Alvarez, MD	Interim Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
	Charles Woods, Jr, MD, MS, FAAP	Chair, Department of Pediatrics (also Chief Medical Officer, Children's Hospital at Erlanger)
	Mark Brzezienski, MD, MS, FACS	Chair, Department of Plastic Surgery; and Program Director, Plastic Surgery Residency
	Andrew Hill, MD	Chief, Erlanger Department of Radiology
	Benjamin Dart, MD, FACS	Chair, Department of Surgery
	Amar Singh, MD, FACS	Chair, Department of Urology
Program Directors (Voting Members)	Dharmendra Patel, MD	Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
	J. Daniel Stanley, MD, FACS, FASCRS	Program Director, Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship
	Frank Tift, MD, FAEMS, FACEP	Program Director, Emergency Medical Services Fellowship
	W. Douglas Gregorie, MD, FACEP	Program DIrector, Emergency Medicine Residency
	Arslan Kahloon, MD	Program Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship
	L. Curtis Cary, MD, FAAP, FACP, MRCP (London)	Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency (also Faculty, Pediatrics Residency)
	Todd Boren, MD	Program Director, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowsip (AAGL-Accredited)
	Harris Hawk, MD	Program Director, Neuro-Interventional Surgery Fellowship (Non-Standard)
	Angela Yates, MD	Program Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency
	Jeremy Bruce, MD	Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
	Warren Gardner, II, MD	Program Director, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Fellowship (Accredited by the Orthopaedic Trauma Association)
	Karla Garcia, MD, FAAP	Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
	W. Heath Giles, MD, FACS	Program Director, Surgery Residency & ACS Mastery in General Surgery Program
	Robert Maxwell, MD, FACS	Program DIrector, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
	Charles Joels, MD, FACS, RPVI	Program Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship
	Benjamin Smith, MD, FAEP	Program Director, Clinical Ultrasound (Emergency Medicine:  Non-Standard)
	Anand Shridharani, MD	Program Director, Urology Residency
	Benjamin Waldorf, MD	Program Director, Urology Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery Fellowship (Accredited by the Endourological Society)
Associate Program Directors (Non-Voting Members -may vote if representing a Chair or Program Director)	Karen Rogers, MD	Associate Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency
	Steven Fox, MD	Associate Program Director, Family Medicine; and Director LifeStyle Medicine
	Jensen Hyde, MD, MPH	Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
	Radhika Shah, MD	Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
	A. Mitch Dizon, MD, MSCR, FACOG	Associate Program Director, Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency and the MIGS Fellowship
	Jesse Doty, MD	Associate Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
	Mark Freeman, MD	Associate Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
	Dick Kiner, MD	Associate Program Director, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Fellowship
	Vanessa Pigg, MD	Assistant Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
	Amy Wells, MD	Assistant Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
	Jason Zurawick, MD	Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
	Jason Rehm, MD	Associate Program Director, Plastic Surgery Residency
	S. Dave Bhattacharya, MD, FACS	Associate Program Director, Surgery Residency
	Eric Nelson, MD, FACS, FACRS	Associate Program Director, Surgery Residency
	Darren Hunt, MD, FACS	Associate Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
	Benjamin Waldorf, MD	Associate Program Director, Urology Residency
	Neelima Katragunta, MD	Associate Program Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship
Peer-Selected Resident/Fellow Representatives (one voting member per program)		Cardiovascular DIsease Fellowship Representative (PGY-   Level)
	Morgan Mayfield, MD	Emergency Medicine Resident Representative, PGY-3 Chief Resident
	Stephanie Willer, MD	Emergency Medicine Resident Representative, PGY-3 Chief Resident
	Elijah Wyatt, MD	Emergency Medicine Resident Representative, PGY-3 Chief Resident
		Family Medicine Resident Representative (PGY-   Level)
	William Oelsner, MD	Gastroenterology Fellow Representative (PGY-4 Level); and Secretary, House Staff Association
	Larissa Wolfe, MD	Internal Medicine Representative (PGY-3 Level); and Well-Being Chair, House Staff Association
	Joseph Bird III, MD	OB/GYN Resident Representative (PGY-4 Chief Resident)
	Felipe Colon, MD	Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Representative (PGY-4 Level)
	Daniel Miles, MD	Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Representative (PGY-5 Chief Resident)
	Connor Read, MD	Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Representative (PGY-5 Chief Resident)
	Abdelrahman Amro, MD	Pediatrics Resident Representative (PL-1 Level)
	Kaitlyn Ellington, MD	Pediatrics Resident Representative (PL-1)
		Plastic Surgery Resident Representative (PGY-   Level)
	Hayley Everett, MD	Surgery Resident Representative (PGY-5 Level); and House Staff Association President
	R. Chace Hicks, MD	Surgery Resident Representative (PGY-4 Level); and House Staff Association Treasurer
	Dresden Melton-Soderstrom, MD	Surgery Resident Representative (PGY-6 Chief Resident); and House Staff Association Vice President
	David Thompson, MD	Urology Resident Representative (PGY-4 Level)
Invited Guests (Non-Voting Members)	Samantha Bond	Cardiovascular Disease and GastroenterologyFellowship Coordinator
	Maggie Hamblen, C-TAGME, CAP	Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship; Surgery Residency; & Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Coordinator II
	Hollie Daugherty	Emergency Medical Services Administrative Assistant
	Velvet Green	Emergency Medicine Residency Coordinator
	Elissa McCoy, MEd	Family Medicine Coordinator
	Deborah Fuller	Internal Medicine Coordinator II
	Jessica Howell, RN	MIGS Fellowship Coordinator & GYN Oncology Patient Navigator (Erlanger)
	Annette Wilson	Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Coordinator
	Kimberly Davis, MEd, CAP	Orthopaedic Surgery Residency & Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Fellowship Coordinator
	Ashley Thurston, C-TAGME, CAP	Pediatrics Residency Coordinator
	Rosalyn Stewart-Kalaukoa	Plastic Surgery Residency & Research Coordinator
	Stacey Blanks, C-TAGME, CAP	Urology & Laparoscopic & Robotic Urology Surgery Fellowship Coordinator
	Cindy Rudolph, MS	Vascular Surgery & Surgery Lead Coordinator
	Natasha Amjed, DO, MPH	Instructor & Administrative Chief Resident, Internal Medicine Residency
	Sarah Rodriguez-Sawao, DO	Instructor & Administrative Chief Resident, Pediatrics Residency