ACLS Certification
Here are several options to renew your ACLS certification. Please email a copy of your ACLS card/certificate to Alyssa Martinez () and Parkland GME ().
CUH
CUH RQI HeartCode (Scheduled hybrid course)
HeartCode complete is on-demand online learning through RQI 1 Stop Platform.
- Request a HeartCode RQI set-up through this Redcap link: (The link is also located on the clinic portal under Online Trainings, titled “RQI HeartCode Request Form”)
- You will need an account to access RQI:
- Username will be your UTSouthwestern email address
- You must create a password before you can access your RQI profile
- RQI Station locations:
- CUH Green floors 6,7,8,9, 10 and 11
- CUH Blue floors 2 and 3 • CUH Orange floors 7,9 and 12
- Zale Ground floor • Outpatient Building 2nd floor
- Ft. Worth Medical Center
- Simmons –NF3.306
- WCB3- 3rd floor in Sim Lab
- Aston U7.112
- Once you complete both online learning and skills portions, you can access your card in your RQI profile.
- Select “Completed Programs” tab and click “review” next to the assignment
- You will receive a traditional 2 year card from American Heart Association
Parkland
Parkland Pathways (Scheduled hybrid course):
- Go to Parkland Pathways
- Click on "Parkland Pathways"
- Click on "Learning" in upper left
- In the search/find bar under FIND LEARNING on the middle right, type "CE_OP ALS Skills Check Off" or "ALS". DO NOT USE "ACLS", it won't work.
- Click the Register Now
- Select a date that works for your schedule - add your name to Wait List or Register (reach out to Thomas Parker from the Education/ACLS department and he will make room for you). Just register and they will find room for you!
- Click "Register" for the class you wish to attend.
- You will get an Online module (in 1-2 days in your email) that will need to be completed prior to session (can be done in one evening)
- During actual course you will need to pass Airway and MegaCode needs to checked off (which will takes ~45 minutes)
NOTE: if you have 3-4 people, you can email and she will work with your schedule to set up a Skill Course (more flexible times)
Call Thomas Parker at 214- 590-1084 or email him if having trouble.
UTSW
UT Southwestern Taleo Learn (Scheduled hybrid course):
- Visit Taleo Learn and use your UTSW S number and password to log in.
- Search “ACLS” in the “Find a training” search bar.
- Please enroll in any “ACLS Renewal” titled course:
- You can see how many seats are open, if no seats are open, please contact the instructor listed to inquire about being added to a waitlist or being able to join the class.
VA
VA (On demand)
Please note that the VA will only accept American Heart Association/American Red Cross ACLS/BLS training if it is through the Military Training Network. The VA will not accept ACLS/BLS through Parkland because it is not through the Military Training Network.
- Email and ask to have ACLS/BLS added to your TMS modules and for the instruction packet for HeartCode ACLS/BLS
- Log in to VA with PIV card (remotely): https://citrixaccesspiv.va.gov/
- • Go to Apps
- • Open Google Chrome (there’s x3, the VBA-Google Chrome one worked for me)
- • In the Chrome app, go here: http://vaww.northtexas.va.gov/employee_resources.asp
- • Click on TMS 2.0 PIV logon Modules should be assigned in the "To Do List" section of your TMS page. If they are not, reach out to one of the people from Step 1 and ask to have the modules assigned
- Complete modules
- You must complete the in-person check off. This will be completed on the VA mannequins.
The mannequins can be found here:
While at the mannequin, log into TMS on the laptop at the mannequin station and complete skills check (takes approximately 30-45 minutes).
Getting your ACLS/BLS E-Card
If you need to log back into TMS to get ACLS/BLS E-card:
- Home (top left)
- Learning history
- HeartCode BLS (or ACLS)
- review content
- launch content
- view E-card
- download and email to self
Certification Exams
USMLE Step 3
USMLE Step 3
- Residents must submit a copy of their Step 3 report by March 1 for reappointment to the PGY3 year. It is strongly recommended to take Step 3 early in the PGY1 year and certainly by January 1 of the PGY2 year. Keep in mind there is a 3–4-week delay between taking the test and the score report when scheduling the exam.
- Scheduling may take several months so begin planning early. Residents must find coverage for any clinics/ services missed during their exam dates and notify the chiefs accordingly.
ITE
NBME Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (ITE)
The ITE is a nationally administered exam that is modeled after the ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Exam. All PGY-2 and PGY-3 categorical residents as well as all PGY-2 and above Med/Psych are required to take this exam in August/ September. The chiefs assign each resident to a specific examination date and schedule time off accordingly. There is limited flexibility for changes in the schedule due to tight coverage requirements - please contact the chiefs early if you foresee any issues with your assigned date.
The ITE is meant to be a self-assessment to help residents identify their gaps in knowledge, and also a practice exam ahead of the boards. No preparation is required for the exam and scores are not used as part of the formative assessment of resident performance.
The National Board of Medical Examiners In-Training Examination dates for 2023 are Friday, August 18th, Tuesday, August 22nd, Wednesday, August 30th, Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday September 6th. The exam will be administered remotely via Zoom and will take the entire day.
On your scheduled exam date, you will be excused from all clinical duties from 7:00pm the night prior to your exam date through 7:00pm on your exam date.
Registration is between 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. To keep on schedule, the actual exam will start no later than 8:00am, so please log onto Zoom at 7:00am.
The rules and restrictions for administering the exam are dictated by the National Board of Medical Examiners. It is modeled after the American Board of Internal Medicine's certification exam.
Please check your QGenda schedule for the date of your ITE exam. Seeing ITE on your schedule means you do not have clinical duties and that coverage has been arranged for you during that time.
If you do not see your ITE exam date on QGenda, please email and . do not schedule moonlighting shifts on the night before your exam or on your exam date.
Please review attached Pre-Test Instructions and Test Day Examinee Instructions for Zoom.
If you have any questions regarding the exam, please contact the chiefs or Barbara Dillard at 214-648-2987.
ABIM Boards
ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Exam (Boards)
Information for Summer 2024: will be updated Winter/Spring 2023
- The 2024 examination dates are Aug. 15, 20, 26, 28, 29
- The examination early registration window opens on December 1, 2023, and ends April 15, 2024.
- Late registration starts on April 16, 2024, and ends April 28, 2024.
- The cost to register is $1410 - you can use your annual allowance to defer the cost of this exam. An additional $400 is charged for late registration.
Compliance Modules
Risk Management Education Courses
As part of your risk management insurance coverage, the University of Texas System requires all residents take 5 hours of risk management education each academic year.
If you have not completed your hours, please take a moment to log in and complete your modules.
For new users: Select the “Create an account” link at the top of the page and enter your unique registration code that was emailed to you. If you did not receive a registration code, please contact .
AMA GCEP Modules
Please complete your AMA GCEP modules. They are listed under “22-23 UT Southwestern Curriculum” and include Patient Handoffs, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, and Sleep Deprivation.
AMA Website: https://fsso.ama-assn.org/login/account/login
You only need to complete this training through the AMA one time. If you have already successfully completed these modules, you do not need to do them again.
Checkout Procedures
Before Checkout
TO-DO ITEMS BEFORE CHECKOUT DAY
The following tasks must be complete before the day you checkout, with an absolute deadline of 6/30/23 (last day to Checkout). You will not be permitted to checkout if any of these duties are incomplete.
- Epic Inbaskets emptied (in both PHHS and CUH Epics)
- Alumni info in MedHub updated
You will receive an email generated through MedHub around 6/1/23. The email has a unique link to complete the alumni survey which allows the updated information to flow to your demographics. Make sure you check junk email and are searching UTSW email box.- Phone number
- Non-UTSW email address
- Forwarding mailing address
- Career plans (entered in Alumni comments box)
- Procedure Log in MedHub updated and accurate
- All MedHub Evaluations completed (no incomplete or pending evaluations remaining)
- Duty Hours logged in MedHub
- Exit Summative Evaluation signed (sent via DocuSign on 6/5/23)*
- Scholarly Activity Form completed (found here)*
*PGY2s and PGY1s are exempt from these steps
Checkout Day
Parkland
PARKLAND
The entire Parkland Checkout process must be completed between 7:30am and 3:30pm on (or before§) Friday 6/30. Please be sure you complete the steps in order as certain procedures are dependent on others.
- Ensure all pre-requisites To-Do items outlined above are complete
- Verify which kind of employee you are so that you select the correct Parkland Checkout Form to complete:
- Remunerat ive (Parkland-paid)
- Non-Remunerative (not Parkland-paid, i.e. UTSW or Children’s-paid)
- Remunerative to Non-Remunerative (currently Parkland-paid but staying at the institution as a UTSW-paid employee)
- Go to Parkland to complete the process outlined in the aforementioned Parkland Checkout Form:
- Virtual To-Do's
- Parkland HIM Checkout
- This will disable your Epic access. Do not do this until you are completely done with all clinical responsibilities!
- Write down Approval Code sent to your email in lieu of a signature
- PeopleSoft: Update mailing address so that final W2 can be sent to you
- Update NPI information
- Update TMB information
- Parkland HIM Checkout
- On-site To-Do's
- Cashier’s Office: NPH 1-502 (in lobby on the way to blue elevators), Hours: 08:00-17:00
- Pay any outstanding balances
- Parkland GME Office: Support Building A Suite 2.240 in Trinity Parking Lot, Hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-16:30
- Return Parkland Badge
- Return Parkland Meal Card
- Return (Parkland-issued) Pager
- Complete Change of Address form
- Cashier’s Office: NPH 1-502 (in lobby on the way to blue elevators), Hours: 08:00-17:00
- Virtual To-Do's
§if you qualify for Early Checkout
UTSW/CUH
UTSW/CUH
The UTSW/CUH checkout process can be completed at any time during the business hours of the offices involved.
- UTSW Parking Services – To pay outstanding balances and receive a signature for clearance.
- Go to Building A on South Campus * Hours: Monday – Friday 07:30 -17:00 or CUH 2nd floor Orange Tower 2.2746 * Hours: Monday – Friday 07:00 –16:00
- You must have a signature from Parking Services to be cleared even if you do not have an active Parking Permit
VA
VA
The VA checkout process can be completed at any time during the business hours of the offices involved.
- Return your PIV card to the PIV Office (Building TT-49)
- Office Hours
- Mon/Tue and Thur/Fri – 8 am -12 noon; 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (CLOSED for lunch from 12 noon – 1 pm)
- Wednesdays - closed
Lastly, go to the Internal Medicine Education Office (Suite F5.310 in the Medical School) to pick up your Internal Medicine Residency Training Certificate
Early Checkout
PGY3 residents leaving before 6/30 need to request Early Checkout via the Early Checkout Request Form. Please complete and return this form to ASAP.
The first day of Early Checkout is Friday, June 23, 2023. You cannot leave before that date.
As with checkout on 6/30, early checkout can only be done Mon-Fri, 7:30am – 3:30pm. The procedure is the same as outlined above.
If you are still on service (consults, clinic, etc.), you must have explicit, written permission from your team (attending +/- fellow) to checkout before 3:30pm on 6/23. All clinical responsibilities must be completed, and you must ensure that someone is following the patients you are caring for as you will lose Epic access once you complete the checkout process. Written permission from your attending must be emailed to IMSchedule@ with Barbara Dillard and the Chief Residents cc’d no later than 3:00pm on 6/22 to ensure that your clinical responsibilities are accounted for and preparations for checkout can be made.
FAQs
Please read through the answers to these questions thoroughly as they can help clarify a lot of steps in the checkout process.
My last day is on a Sunday. The GME office is not open on Sunday. When do I check out?
- You can check out any weekday starting on 6/23 but no later than Friday, 6/30.
I am on an inpatient rotation or assigned to a busy clinic on Thursday, June23rd. How do I check out?
- You will be able to do many of the required checkout tasks during your last week in Dallas. However, you should not checkout with Parkland HIM Records until you are completely done with all patient care responsibilities as completing this step will revoke your Epic access.
- If you are on a hybrid rotation, you can discuss leaving service early with your attending as described above. You may also discuss leaving early in the days prior to your last day to complete the necessary checkout tasks. Again, these decisions are at the discretion of the attending on service and the residency program cannot promise residents on service that they will be permitted to check out before the end of their last scheduled day of work.
I am a preliminary intern (UTSW dermatology, radiology, etc.). Do I need to check out?
- No, since you are remaining a Parkland employee, you do not need to check out of the system. However,you must complete all to-do items outlined in Section I. Turn in your Internal Medicine ID and pager to your department’s program coordinator. Barbara Dillard () will email you when your diploma is ready to be picked up in the Internal Medicine Education Office.
- Neurology prelims DO NOT need to complete any steps in this process at all. The Neurology Program Coordinator () will contact you when your diploma is ready for pickup.
I am staying at UTSW for fellowship. Do I need to check out?
- No, since you are remaining a Parkland employee, you do not need to check out of the system. However,you must complete all to-do items outlined in Section I. Turn in your Internal Medicine ID and pager to your fellowship’s program coordinator. Barbara Dillard () will email you when your diploma is ready to be picked up in the Internal Medicine Education Office.
I am a UTSW paid resident who will transition into a fellowship as a UTSW paid fellow. Do I need to check out?
- No, since you are remaining a UTSW employee, you do not need to check out of the system. However,you must complete all to-do items outlined in Section I. Turn in your Internal Medicine ID and pager to your fellowship’s program coordinator. Barbara Dillard () will email you when your diploma is ready to be picked up in the Internal Medicine Education Office.
I am staying as a UTSW employee working at Parkland hospital as a hospitalist. Do I need to check out?
- Yes, the full checkout as you are leaving the residency program and need to turn in your badge, pager and clear any outstanding in basket charts. You must be cleared as a resident.
Duty Hours
Duty hours, including all clinical (to include moonlighting) and academic activities related to the residency program must conform to the following by ACGME mandate:
- 80 hours/week averaged over a four-week period.
- 1 day in 7 free from educational/ responsibilities averaged over a four-week period.
- Continuous on-site duty is not to exceed 24 hours + 4 additional hours to facilitate patient care.
- Time spent on moonlighting counts toward the 80 hour/week limit.
- For complete details, ACGME guidelines are available on the ACGME website – acgme.org
- We take work hour violations very seriously. If you are having any problems meeting these requirements, please notify the Chief Residents early; we can help eliminate obstacles to duty hour compliance.
- It is MANDATORY that you log all duty hours (MedHub)
- Lock Out: Trainees have two weeks in which to document duty hours after which they are locked out. Lockout occurs at 12:01am EST Sunday morning for the previous week.
- One Week Reminder: Trainees that have failed to log any duty hours for the prior week will be reminded by email and alert on their Medhub home page.
- Please note that the Education Office is unable to assist with unlocking duty hours once the lockout period has passed. Please make every effort to submit your hours.
- ResQ is available for download in the app store/play store. Please note that while it can track hours, you must still manually submit to be counted