Instructions

The program director should complete the Program Experimentation and Innovative Projects Proposal Form and supply all of the requested information. The DIO must sign the proposal indicating review and approval of the sponsoring institution’s Graduate Medical Education Committee. Proposals should not exceed 5 pages in length. Attach additional documents as numbered appendices. One copy of the proposal should be sent via standard mail to the Executive Director of the appropriate ACGME Residency Review Committee (RRC).

Eligibility Criteria

• The sponsoring institution must hold a status of Accreditation or Continued Accreditation.
• The program must hold a status of Accreditation or Continued Accreditation.
• The proposal must include a request for a waiver/variation/suspension of a common, institutional or specialty-specific standard.
• The request for a waiver/variation/suspension of specialty-specific standard(s) must involve specialty-specific standard(s) overseen by only one RRC. 

ACGME/Residency Review Committee Approval

Proposals which include requests for a waiver/variation/suspension of Common Program or Institutional Requirements require ACGME approval; the proposal will be reviewed by ACGME prior to consideration by the RRC.  This process may delay the response time from the RRC.  Program Directors should estimate 6-9 months for a decision from the RRC.  The RRC Executive Director will provide official notification to the Program Director and DIO of the RRC’s decision to include:

1. if approved, the duration of the approval, which will not exceed the next accreditation review, and
2. the method of monitoring (e.g., progress reports, updates) by the RRC

References

1. Common Program Requirements: VII. Experimentation and Innovation (effective July 1, 2007)
2. Institutional Requirements: I.B.4; III.B.11 (effective July 1, 2007)
3. ACGME Policies and Procedures Manual: II.D. Procedures for Approving Proposals for
          Experimentation and Innovative Projects.