Residency & Fellowship Standards Videos
The CAATE is excited to release a series of videos created with the goal of providing information in an approachable format on each of the CAATE’s Residency & Fellowship Program Standards. Each video contains a summary of a particular Standard’s intent and an explanation of how to demonstrate compliance.
Take the opportunity to review each standard and gain a deeper understanding of how they shape high-quality Residency & Fellowship programs. Whether you're new to accreditation or looking for clarity on specific standards, these videos offer valuable guidance for residency & fellowship program stakeholders.
A special thanks to the members of the CAATE’s Education Committee, the Residency & Fellowship Accreditation Council, Peer Review Committee, and the Standards Committee that assisted with creating these videos!
Standard 1
Residency: The program has a written mission statement that addresses the specialized preparation of residents and aligns with the mission of the sponsoring organization.
Fellowship: The program has a written mission statement that addresses the specialized preparation of fellows and aligns with the mission of the sponsoring organization.
Standard 2
Residency: The program has developed, implemented, and evaluated a framework that describes how the program is designed to achieve its mission and that guides program design, delivery, and assessment.
Fellowship: The program has developed, implemented, and evaluated a framework that describes how the program is designed to achieve its mission and that guides program design, delivery, and assessment.
Standard 3
Residency: Development, implementation, evaluation and evolution of the framework engages all core faculty and includes other stakeholders as determined by the program.
Fellowship: Development, implementation, evaluation and evolution of the framework engages all core faculty and includes other stakeholders as determined by the program.
Standard 4
Residency: Programs must use appropriate assessments to measure a resident’s progression towards advanced clinical practice.
Fellowship: Programs must use appropriate assessments to measure a fellow’s progression towards advanced clinical practice.
Standard 5
Residency: The program collects resident achievement measures on an annual basis.
Fellowship: The program collects fellow achievement measures on an annual basis.
Standard 6
Residency: The results of the program’s comprehensive assessment plan are used for continued program improvement.
Fellowship: The results of the program’s comprehensive assessment plan are used for continued program improvement.
Standard 9
Residency: The program must be a minimum of twelve consecutive months with a continuous full-time practice commitment.
Fellowship: The program must be a minimum of twelve consecutive months with a continuous full-time practice commitment.
Standard 10
Residency: The program ensures well rounded and comprehensive clinical practice experiences that expose the residents to the full spectrum of the specialty area.
Fellowship: The program ensures well rounded and comprehensive clinical practice experiences that expose the fellows to the full spectrum of the subspecialty area.
Standard 11
Residency: The program must provide a comprehensive plan for the residents that provides a logical progression of graded authority and responsibility for autonomous patient-care experiences within the specialty area and inclusive of the ACGME Core Competencies.
Fellowship: The program must provide a comprehensive plan for the fellows that provides a logical progression of graded authority and responsibility for autonomous patient-care experiences within the subspecialty area and inclusive of the ACGME Core Competencies.
Standard 12
Residency: The program ensures a well-rounded and comprehensive didactic curriculum that actively engages the residents to the full spectrum of the specialty area and the ACGME Core Competencies.
Fellowship: The program ensures a well-rounded and comprehensive didactic curriculum that actively engages the fellows to the full spectrum of the subspecialty area and the ACGME Core Competencies.
Standard 13
Residency: The program must provide a defined and planned scholarship experience within the specialty area and the ACGME Core Competencies.
Fellowship: The program must provide a defined and planned scholarship experience within the subspecialty area and the ACGME Core Competencies.
Standard 14
Residency: The program’s development, design and delivery demonstrates ongoing and intentional systematic efforts in, diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice.
Fellowship: The program demonstrates systematic diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice efforts in its development, design and delivery.
Standard 15
Residency: The program must be identified as an athletic training residency in a specialty area in all organizational publications.
Fellowship: The program must be identified as an athletic training fellowship in a subspecialty area in all organizational publications.
Standard 16
Residency: There is an organizational structure with leadership and administrative personnel to support the operations of the program.
Fellowship: There is an organizational structure with leadership and administrative personnel to support the operations of the program.
Standard 17
Residency: All sites where residents are involved in education(excluding the sponsoring organization) have a current affiliation agreement or memorandum of understanding that is endorsed by the appropriate administrative authority at both the sponsoring organization and site.
Fellowship: All sites where fellows are involved in education (excluding the sponsoring organization) have a current affiliation agreement or memorandum of understanding that is endorsed by the appropriate administrative authority at both the sponsoring organization and site.
Standard 18
Residency: The program director is a full-time employee of the sponsoring organization. The program director’s experience and qualifications must include the following: • Content expertise in the specialty area • Certification and in good standing with the Board of Certification • Current state athletic training credential and in good standing with the state regulatory agency in the state in which the program is housed (in states with regulation) • Verified NPI number with appropriate healthcare field designation • Engages in scholarship • Engaged clinically within the specialty area • Must be active at local, state, regional, and/or national levels
Fellowship: The program director is a full-time employee of the sponsoring organization. The program director’s experience and qualifications must include the following: • An earned post-baccalaureate degree • Content expertise in the subspecialty area • Certification and in good standing with the Board of Certification • Current state athletic training credential and in good standing with the state regulatory agency in the state in which the program is housed (in states with regulation) • Verified NPI number with appropriate healthcare field designation • Engages in scholarship • Engaged clinically within the subspecialty area • Must be a
Standard 19
Residency: There is a single program director with the authority and accountability for the operations of the program. The program director has adequate protected time to oversee and advance the residency program, with consideration given to the size and complexity of the program. This includes the following responsibilities:
- Program planning and operation, including development of the framework
- Program evaluation
- Oversight of the quality of clinical and didactic education
- Maintenance of accreditation • Input into budget management
- Input on the selection, evaluation and development of program personnel
- Input on the selection, evaluation and mentorship of residents
- Mentorship of the program personnel as they interact with the resident
- Oversight of resident clinical progression • Conducts essential orientation activities
Fellowship: There is a single program director with the authority and accountability for the operations of the program. The program director has adequate protected time to oversee and advance the fellowship program, with consideration given to the size and complexity of the program. This includes the following responsibilities:
- Program planning and operation, including development of the framework
- Program evaluation
- Oversight of the quality of clinical and didactic education
- Maintenance of accreditation
- Input into budget management
- Input on the selection, evaluation and development of program personnel
- Input on the selection, evaluation and mentorship of fellows
- Mentorship of the program personnel as they interact with the fellow
- Oversight of fellow clinical progression
- Conducts essential orientation activities
Standard 20
Residency: Program personnel numbers are sufficient to meet the needs of the program.
Fellowship: Program personnel numbers are sufficient to meet the needs of the program.
Standard 21
Residency: The core faculty experience and qualifications must include the following:
- Content expertise in the specialty area
- Certification and in good standing with the Board of Certification
- Current state credential and in good standing with the state regulatory agency in the state in which the program is housed (in states with regulation • Verified NPI number with appropriate healthcare field designation • Engages in scholarship • Currently practicing clinically in the specialty area • Active at local, state, regional, and/or national levels • Conducts essential orientation activities
Fellowship: The core faculty experience and qualifications must include the following:
- An earned post-baccalaureate degree
- Content expertise in the subspecialty area
- Certification and in good standing with the Board of Certification
- Current state credential and in good standing with the state regulatory agency in the state in which the program is housed (in states with regulation)
- Verified NPI number with appropriate healthcare field designation
- Engages in scholarship
- Currently practicing clinically in the subspecialty area
- Active at local, state, regional, and/or national levels
- Conducts essential orientation activities
Standard 22
Residency: The core faculty has adequate protected time to assist with and advance the residency program, with consideration given to the size and complexity of the program. Core faculty must function to:
- Support the program director in program and curricular development
- Uphold the ACGME Core Competencies within clinical practice
- Administer and maintain an educational environment conducive to the development of the residents
- Mentor residents during clinical practice to expand their depth and breadth of knowledge and skills in the program’s specialty area
- Provide instruction and assessment of the advanced knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities of the specialty area
Fellowship: The core faculty has adequate protected time to assist with and advance the fellowship program, with consideration given to the size and complexity of the program. Core faculty must function to:
- Support the program director in program and curricular development
- Uphold the ACGME Core Competencies within clinical practice • Administer and maintain an educational environment conducive to the development of the fellows
- Mentorfellows during clinical practice to expand their depth and breadth of knowledge and skills in the program’s subspecialty area
- Provide instruction and assessment of the advanced knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities of the subspecialty area
Standard 23
Residency: The affiliate faculty must have appropriate qualifications in their field in order to contribute to the development of the resident.
Fellowship: The affiliate faculty must have appropriate qualifications in their field in order to contribute to the development of the fellow.
Standard 24
Residency: The program has a medical director that supports the program.
Fellowship: The program has a medical director that supports the program.
Standard 25
Residency: The program ensures the availability of adequate curricular resources for residents and program personnel.
Fellowship: The program ensures the availability of adequate curricular resources for fellows and program personnel.
Standard 26
Residency: The number of work hours performed during the program must be in compliance with organizational and federal policy and must not exceed the duty hour standards of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Fellowship: The number of work hours performed during the program must be in compliance with organizational and federal policy and must not exceed the duty hour standards of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Standard 27
Residency: The program must provide residents sufficient financial support to fulfill the responsibilities of the program.
Fellowship: The program must provide fellows sufficient financial support to fulfill the responsibilities of the program.
Standard 28
Residency: The program and its stakeholders foster civil, equitable, and professional learning environments that are free from harassment and discrimination. 1
Fellowship: The program and its stakeholders foster civil, equitable, and professional learning environments that are free from harassment and discrimination. 1
Standard 29
Residency: The program maintains appropriate resident records in secure locations. Records must include the following:
- Admission applications and supporting documents
- Individualized plans
- Disciplinary actions/remediation
- Outcomes /Assessments
- Scholarship
- Acceptance of program terms
Fellowship: The program maintains appropriate fellow records in secure locations. Records must include the following:
- Admission applications and supporting documents
- Individualized plans
- Disciplinary actions/remediation
- Outcomes /Assessments
- Scholarship
- Acceptance of program terms
Standard 30
Residency: Prospective and accepted residents are provided with publicly accessible information about the program to include the following:
- Program Policies & Procedures including grievance, family leave, withdrawal and/or termination, and academic dishonesty policies
- Admission requirements
- Employee retention requirements
- Program completion requirements
- Organizational fair practice policies including nondiscrimination policies and protection of health and safety of the resident
- Salary and financial responsibility (program related costs)
- Aggregate data for the following resident achievement measures: program completion rate, resident placement rate
- Mission and programmatic goals
Fellowship: Prospective and accepted fellows are provided with publicly accessible information about the program to include the following:
- Program Policies & Procedures including grievance, family leave, withdrawal and/or termination, and academic dishonesty policies
- Admission requirements
- Employee retention requirements
- Program completion requirements
- Organizational fair practice policies including nondiscrimination policies and protection of health and safety of the fellow
- Salary and financial responsibility (program related costs)
- Aggregate data for the following fellow achievement measures: program completion rate, fellow placement rate Mission and programmatic goals
Standard 31
Residency: Program policies, procedures and practices provide for compliance with accreditation policies and procedures, including the following:
- Maintenance of accurate information, easily accessible to the public, on the program website regarding accreditation status and current resident achievement measures
- Timely submission of required fees and documentation, including reports of program completion rates and resident placement rates
- Timely notification of expected or unexpected substantive changes with the program and of any change in organization accreditation status or legal authority to provide residency education
Fellowship: Program policies, procedures and practices provide for compliance with accreditation policies and procedures, including the following:
- Maintenance of accurate information, easily accessible to the public, on the program website regarding accreditation status and current fellow achievement measures
- Timely submission of required fees and documentation, including reports of program completion rates and fellow placement rates
- Timely notification of expected or unexpected substantive changes with the program and of any change in organization accreditation status or legal authority to provide fellow education
Standard 32
Residency: Residents must demonstrate the ability to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health.
Fellowship: Fellows must demonstrate the ability to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health.
Standard 33
Residency: Residents must demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical epidemiological and social behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient centered care.
Fellowship: Fellows must demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical epidemiological and social behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient centered care.
Standard 34
Residency: Residents must demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate, scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and lifelong learning.
Fellowship: Fellows must demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate, scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and lifelong learning.
Standard 35
Residency: Residents must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with appropriate stakeholders.
Fellowship: Fellows must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with appropriate stakeholders.
Standard 36
Residency: Residents must demonstrate a commitment to professionalism and an adherence to ethical principles.
Fellowship: Fellows must demonstrate a commitment to professionalism and an adherence to ethical principles.
Standard 37
Residency: Residents must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care including the social determinants of health and health literacy as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources to provide optimal health care.
Fellowship: Fellows must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care including the social determinants of health and health literacy as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources to provide optimal health care.
Standard 38
Residency: Residency programs must demonstrate an increase in depth and breadth of an individual’s global acquisition of knowledge and abilities in the ACGME Core Competencies.
Fellowship: Fellowship programs must demonstrate an increase in depth and breadth of an individual’s global acquisition of knowledge and abilities in the ACGME Core Competencies
Standard 39
Residency: Residents must demonstrate an increase in depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, behaviors and abilities across the specialty area.
Fellowship: Fellows must demonstrate an increase in depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, behaviors and abilities across the subspecialty area.
Standard 40
Residency: Residency programs must identify curricular content to be taught within the specialty area through a strategic and deliberate process.
Fellowship: Fellowship programs must identify curricular content to be taught within the subspecialty area through a strategic and deliberate process.