John Gienapp, director of program assessment and development in the Office of Graduate Medical Education, is retiring effective July 2.
Gienapp, 64, came to the UW in 1998. He brought about many changes in the quality improvement process for graduate medical education. Gienapp helped navigate the residency programs through changes such as the maximum 80-hour work week standard and the general competencies now required in resident training.
Gienapp worked with Phil Bryson, director of graduate medical education counseling, to create the Office of Resident Counseling at the UW. The program offers free counseling to medical residents, proactively addressing the stress that residents and their families face. This resident-specific service is rarely found in teaching hospitals in the United States.
Prior to joining the UW, Gienapp worked from 1978 to 1998 at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the national accrediting body for medical residencies. In 1981 he became the ACGME’s first executive director.
Gienapp presided over the ACGME’s growth from a staff of 35 and an annual budget of about $2 million to more than 70 employees and a budget of about $15 million. He also oversaw the organization of accreditation procedures, as well as the expansion of residency program accreditation from 24 core specialties to more than 50 sub-specialties.
The UW has been fortunate to have Gienapp’s experience and passion for medical education, according to John Coombs, associate vice president for medical affairs and associate dean for regional affairs and graduate medical education.
The UW has opened a search for Gienapp’s successor, with the position to become assistant dean for graduate medical education. The assistant dean will serve as the Designated Institutional Official for UW Medicine, as well as oversee and be responsible for day-to-day administration of the 67 active residency and fellowship programs within the School of Medicine. The position oversees the House Staff Affairs Office and the Office for Resident Counseling, in addition to maintaining the internal review program and assuring compliance with the ACGME Institutional Requirements.
Inquiries about the position should be made to John Coombs, who can be reached at 206-543-6806, jcoombs@u.washington.edu
January 23, 2004