Surgery Residency First to Receive ACGME Pre-Accreditation
July 14, 2015
The Surgery Residency program, led by Dr. Arthur Sesso, is the first of PCOM’s 14
residency programs to receive ACGME pre-accreditation status.
PCOM’s General Surgery Residency program, led by Arthur Sesso, DO, professor and chair, surgery, recently received pre-accreditation
status from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). As part
of the move toward a single graduate medical education (GME) accreditation system,
GME programs at all osteopathic medical schools must achieve initial ACGME accreditation
by June 30, 2020, after which the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) will cease
to provide accreditation.
The Surgery Residency program is the first of PCOM’s 14 residency programs to receive that status, and all of the College’s residency programs are expected
to apply for or receive pre-accreditation status within the next few months, said
Kenneth J. Veit, DO ’76, MBA, provost, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean.
“Dr. Sesso is the trailblazer in this brave new world of common accreditation,” said
Dr. Veit. “He has the knowledge and understanding to meet the requirements for ACGME
accreditation. In addition, this pre-accreditation status is an excellent opportunity
for our students, who will have even more doors open to them professionally after
completing a GME program that is both AOA- and ACGME-accredited.”
Once pre-accreditation status is achieved, each program will have until 2020 to modify
their training to meet the ACGME’s requirements for full accreditation.
The General Surgery Residency offers a strong academic and hands-on program with the
assets of a large medical school and provides a unique learning experience for its
residents, who are able to perform at least 200 major surgeries each year and have
the opportunity to train at world-class locations. Residents are also provided access
to fellowships in areas such as plastics, cardiothoracic and trauma surgeries, and
about 80 percent of PCOM’s residents will complete fellowship training.
About Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Founded in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands
of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists
who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms.
PCOM operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic
medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and school psychology, and graduate degrees in
applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic
medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, non profit leadership
and population health management, organizational development and leadership, physician
assistant studies, school psychology, and public health management and administration.
PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service
to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care
to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
For more information, contact:
Daniel McCunney
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Email: danielmc1@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304 | Cell:
267-449-1360