Chicago, IL, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of ongoing efforts to support rural and underserved communities, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)’s Concurrent Application Pilot is designed to streamline the accreditation process for new Sponsoring Institutions and their residency programs. In January 2026, the first two Sponsoring Institutions in the pilot, Arizona AHEC Primary Care Consortium and Mercy Hospital Springfield, achieved Initial Accreditation; and in April 2026, their first programs, the former in family medicine and the latter in internal medicine, both achieved Initial Accreditation.
Launched in July 2025, the pilot was recently extended and will now run through June 30, 2027, accepting a total of up to 12 new Sponsoring Institutions.
Under current requirements, Sponsoring Institutions must first achieve Initial Accreditation before submitting applications for individual specialty programs, often delaying program launch by more than a year and disproportionately affecting efforts in rural and underserved communities where graduate medical education (GME) is needed most.
The Concurrent Application Pilot allows qualified new Sponsoring Institutions and programs to submit accreditation applications at the same time through the ACGME’s Accreditation Data System (ADS). Pilot participants will be reviewed in a shorter timeline and may receive both the institutional and program accreditation decisions within nine to 12 months.
“This pilot is an effort to reduce barriers to GME development, particularly for those with a mission to serve rural and underserved communities,” said Director, Rural and Underserved GME Laney McDougal, MS-HSM. “By allowing simultaneous applications, we are supporting the timely development of GME and facilitating improved access to care for patients.”
Pilot Details
To be eligible, Sponsoring Institutions must:
- be new and have no history with the ACGME of Accreditation Withheld or Withdrawal of Accreditation status;
- not previously have submitted institutional or program applications in ADS; and,
- be able to submit both institutional and program applications within 90 days of each other (program applications may be submitted first).
Eligible specialties for the pilot include:
- Family medicine
- General surgery
- Internal medicine
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Preventive medicine
- Psychiatry
Spots for the pilot are limited. Share with GME leaders, designated institutional officials, and community hospitals that may be exploring establishing new Sponsoring Institutions and programs, and encourage them to submit the Sponsoring Institution or program application by June 30, 2027.
By reducing administrative and timing barriers, the Concurrent Application Pilot is intended to accelerate the development of new GME programs and support more efficient physician education/training. The effort is especially focused on addressing workforce shortages in rural and underserved areas, where timely establishment of programs can have a direct impact on patient access to care.
For more information about the Concurrent Application Pilot, including eligibility requirements and frequently asked questions, visit the Rural and Underserved GME section of the ACGME website.
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ABOUT THE ACGME
The ACGME is a private, non-profit, professional organization responsible for the accreditation of more than 13,700 residency and fellowship programs and the more than 900 institutions that sponsor these programs in the US. Residency and fellowship programs educate approximately 167,100 resident and fellow physicians in 146 accredited specialties and subspecialties. The Mission of the ACGME is to improve health care and population health by assessing and enhancing the quality of resident and fellow physicians' education through advancements in accreditation and education.
Susan Holub Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education sholub@acgme.org
