The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, which is responsible for accrediting medical residency and fellowship programs, will visit the Saint Louis University School of Medicine later this month following concerns regarding oversight of some of the school's programs and its "learning environment related to fear/retaliation," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
ACGME investigators will conduct a site visit at the institution Jan. 16 and interview "peer-selected senior residents/fellows" from 15 of the medical school's programs, according to emails sent by school officials and obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
A letter sent to the medical school by the ACGME indicates the visit serves as a "focused site visit," which, according to the organization's website, involves investigating the merits of a complaint or potential problems cited during an annual survey of medical residents. Investigators will aim to assess the school's "oversight of underperforming programs" and "ability to provide learning and working environments in which residents/fellows have the opportunity to raise concerns and provide feedback without intimidation or retaliation and in a confidential manner," according to the report.
The programs under review include cardiovascular medicine, neurosurgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and surgery, among others. The ACGME's database suggests roughly five of the 15 programs were granted accreditation "with warning" in 2017.
Kevin Behrns, MD, dean of the medical school and vice president for medical affairs who took office just before the Liaison Committee on Medical Education placed the school on academic probation last February, told the Post-Dispatch Wednesday the ACGME's visit does not surprise him, but does pose a concern.
"I certainly am concerned, but I also know we have been proactive about this and have taken many steps to work on the learning environment," Dr. Behrns said.
Dr. Behrns noted since the 2017 resident survey, the medical school has taken several steps to address residents' concerns, including incorporating the use of an online form for residents to report mistreatment and planning to hire two quality-control specialists.
The ACGME is required to perform a site visit before deciding the institution's future accreditation status. The medical school currently maintains full accreditation.