The Precepting Performance Improvement Program (Precepting Program) allows academic units (Sponsors) to develop and oversee the completion of performance improvement (PI) projects that meet the ABFM Family Medicine Certification requirements. Approved Sponsors will be able to develop and oversee PI projects for teaching physicians without having to submit an application for each activity for ABFM review.

To participate in the Precepting Program, Sponsors must attest to comply with the ABFM requirements for organizations, projects, and physician participation.

  • Application Process

To be considered for approval for this pathway, interested academic units will complete and submit an application describing the work setting and an attestation of agreement to comply with the ABFM requirements for this program. Sponsors in good standing will have the opportunity to renew their designation at the end of the 3-year period.

Additional Information

Additional Resources: www.stfm.org/abfmpitoolkit

  • Organizational requirements

Sponsors participating in the Precepting Program will be expected to meet the following requirements and responsibilities:

Auditable Record-Keeping

  • The Sponsor must demonstrate effective mechanisms for ensuring that physicians who would receive PI credit have meaningfully participated in the PI project. This includes, but is not limited to maintaining an auditable record-keeping system to track physician participation in the approved PI project. The ABFM reserves the right to request such documentation by means of an audit process. Sponsors will be notified at least 60 days prior to an audit request.

Portfolio Manager

  • Identify a portfolio manager to oversee the program’s portfolio, submit required reports, and physician completion results.

Track Physician Participation and Notify ABFM of Completion

  • ABFM expects that Sponsors will track teaching hours and notify ABFM in a timely manner when a physician has successfully completed the requirements and attested to his or her participation to ensure that PI credit is awarded.

To view the minimum amount of information required as part of the physician attestation process, view and download the sample attestation.

  • Performance Improvement requirements

The PI activity associated with the Precepting Program must meet the following requirements to be approved by the Sponsor for PI credit:

Defined Project Aim and Intervention(s)

  • An explicit aim for improvement that will benefit the teaching physician and the medical student or resident should be expressed in a statement that describes what will be improved, a desired goal, and a timeframe for achieving improvement. Interventions should be clearly defined to achieve the stated aim and may include relevant changes such as (but not limited to):
    • An online course(s), evidence-based reading, or in-person training to address a specific area of teaching performanc
    • Implementation (through teaching of medical students) of skills developed through course/training

 

Include At Least One Improvement Cycle

  • ABFM requires a minimum of baseline measurement prior to implementing an intervention, a re-audit post-intervention, and a comparison of the two. Baseline and post-intervention data should be collected from the clerkship director, educator, and/or the learner, as appropriate to the improvement activity.  Baseline data may include (but is not limited to):
    • A self-evaluation of teaching skills performed by the teaching physician
    • An assessment of the teaching physician by the Sponsor
  • Post-intervention data may include (but is not limited to):
    • Follow-up assessment from medical student(s) or resident(s) and self-evaluation/reflection by the teaching physician
    • Follow-up assessment of the teaching physician by the Sponsor

Comply with the ABFM Industry Support Policy

  • ABFM Industry Support Policy is available here.

  • meaningful participation

To receive ABFM PI credit for the Precepting Program, the teaching physician must meaningfully participate by:

  • Complete an attestation appropriate to the teaching physician’s work setting
  • Complete at least 180 1:1 contact hours.
  • Participate in implementing the chosen intervention(s)—-the changes designed to improve the teaching process appropriate to the teaching physician’s work setting.
  • Review project data—-including the pre-and post-data from the learner—-in accordance with the Sponsor’s project plan.
  • Demonstrate active collaboration, as needed, in the implementation of the project (e.g., meetings, data analysis, implementation training, etc.).

To view the minimum amount of information required as part of the physician attestation process, view and download the sample attestation. 

  • precepting program sponsors

To review a complete list of Approved Sponsors through the ABFM Precepting Performance Improvement Program to develop, monitor, and approve performance improvement (PI) projects for Family Medicine Certification credit, visit https://theabfm.mymocam.com/precepting/sponsors/.  

  • Submitting completions

As an approved Precepting PI Program sponsor you are able to submit physician completion data for those ABFM Diplomates who have met the meaningful participation requirements for the program.

To view the minimum amount of information required as part of the physician attestation process, view and download the sample attestation.

Dashboard

Upon logging in to the system, you will see a list of all of your submissions in the MY APPLICATIONS card on the left side of the dashboard. On the right side of the dashboard is a list of all applications that can be created. Select the Precepting Physician Completion Reportoption to submit one or more ABFM Diplomates for Family Medicine Certification credit.

Precepting Dashboard

Completing the Application

Upon opening the application, provide a unique name. It is suggested that you enter today’s date. In the second field, assign your organization’s name to the application. In the third field, select your Program name if the value is not defaulted for you.

For each ABFM Diplomate being submitted for credit, add a row to the table. For each Diplomate provide the following information:

 

  • Board ID: The ABFM Board ID of the Diplomate. ABFM Board IDs are 6 digits in length and being with a one (1) or zero (0).
  • Last Name: The last name, as provided to the ABFM.
  • First Name: The first name, as provided to the ABFM. The name must match (e.g., Jeffrey vs. Jeff).
  • Email: The email address for the Diplomate.
  • Start Date: Indicate the date the Diplomate started participating in the project. The date may not be before the start date of your participation in the Precepting Program.
  • End Date: Indicate the date the Diplomate met the participation requirements for the project. The date may not be in the future.
  • Instance ID: This is a calculated value.

Actions

Actions available are:

 

  • Select the Pencil icon on the left to make the table row editable.
  • Select the Add Row button to add another Diplomate or resident to the application.
  • Select the Import button to populate the table from a compatible Microsoft Excel file.
  • Select the Export button to create a compatible Microsoft Excel file that can be used to import data.

  • Contact Us

Need more information about participating in the Precepting Performance Improvement Program?

Please contact the ABFM Support Center at 877-223-7437, or you may email us at [email protected].