LITTLE ROCK
Two family medicine programs for training doctors that are operated by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are on probation by an accrediting group for deficiencies in supervising doctors in training while they delivered babies and for weakness in continuing education for physicians.
The residency programs cited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education are the Area Health Education Centers in northwest Arkansas and Pine Bluff. UAMS has eight of the health education centers throughout the state, and six have family medicine residency programs.
The probation does not affect funding for the centers but continued problems could lead to a loss of accreditation.
A physical medicine and rehabilitation program was removed from probation on Aug. 24 after it was re-examined by the accrediting body.
The council in January listed 16 citations for the northwest center that included emphasizing revenue-generating patient services over educating students and insufficient resident experience with pediatric, obstetric and geriatric patients.
The center in Pine Bluff was put on probation in May for 13 citations that included limiting the number of patient visits and types of patients and a failure to ensure that residents perform enough deliveries.
