Skip to content

Other ways to search: Events Calendar | UTHSC News

Chattanooga Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC)

GMEC Meeting Dates

2024- 2025 GMEC Meeting Dates are listed below.  They are usually conducted monthly - 3rd Tuesday's -- except December and June each year). Typically, our GMEC meetings are held in-person in the Erlanger POB Conference Room from 5 - 6 pm ET.  We also have provide a Zoom option that will be emailed to GMEC members.

  • July 16, 2024
  • August 20, 2024 (Note:  This will be a meeting with just GME Leadership and Program Directors and Associate Program Directors instead of the entire GMEC.)
  • September 17, 2024
  • No meeting in October 2024
  • November 19, 2024 
  • No meeting in December 2024
  • January 21, 2025
  • February 18, 2025
  • March 18, 2025
  • April 15, 2025
  • May 20, 2025
  • No meeting in June 2025
Graduate Medical Education Committee Requirements and Structure

Andrea W. Goins, DO
Interim Designated Institutional Official [also Chair of the GMEC]

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires every Sponsoring Institution to have a Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) that, in cooperation with the Designated Institutional Official (DIO), oversees the GME Programs sponsored by the institution.  Meetings must be conducted at least once each quarter.  The ACGME requires that voting members must include:

  • Designated Institutional Official (DIO)
  • A minimum of two Program Directors of ACGME-Accredited Programs
  • A minimum of two peer-selected Residents from its ACGME-Accredited Programs
  • A quality improvement or patient safety officer or designee

Our GMEC is chaired by the DIO (currently Dr. Andrea Goins).  Voting Members include:

  • All Program Directors
  • Dean, UTHSC College of Medicine - Chattanooga
  • Associate Dean, Research
  • Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education
  • Assistant Dean, Finance and Administration
  • Director of CLER Integration
  • Peer-selected Residents/Fellows from each Department (Resident and Fellow GMEC Representatives)
  • GME Institutional Accreditation Specialist
  • Erlanger Vice President and Chief Quality Officer

Non-Voting Members include:

  • All UT Department Chairs (may vote when representing a Program Director)
  • All Associate Program Directors (may vote when representing a Program Director)
  • Erlanger President and CEO
  • Erlanger Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
  • Erlanger Vice President for Operations
  • Erlanger Chief Nursing Officer
  • Erlanger Chief Information Officer
  • Erlanger Chief Medical Information Officer
  • Chief Medical Officer, Erlanger Medical Group
  • Other Erlanger Administration, e.g., Chief Financial Officer (may vote if representing Erlanger Administration)
  • GME Lead Coordinator

We ask that at least one department official (Chair, Program Director, or Associate Program Director) represent each Department at the GMEC meetings.  Our GMEC usually meets eight-ten times per year -- the third Tuesday of each month except December and June). 

Each GMEC meeting must be attended by at least one resident representative.  Minutes must be maintained and must document the requirements and responsibilities identified as part of the ACGME Institutional Requirements.  Minutes and GMEC documentation for our Campus are the responsibility of the GME Institutional Accreditation Specialist.

Responsibilities of the GMEC include:

Oversight of:

  • ACGME accreditation status of the Sponsoring Institution and each of its ACGME-accredited program
  • Quality of the GME learning and working environment within the Sponsoring Institution, each of its ACGME-Accredited programs, and its participating sites;
  • Quality of educational experiences in each ACGME-accredited program that lead to measurable achievement of educational outcomes as identified in the ACGME Common and specialty-/subspecialty-specific Program Requirements;
  • ACGME-accredited program(s)’ annual program evaluations and self-studies;
  • All processes related to reductions and closures of individual ACGME-accredited programs, major participating sites, and the Sponsoring Institution; and,
  • Provision of summary information of patient safety reports to residents, fellows, faculty members, and other clinical staff members. At a minimum, this oversight must include verification that such summary information is being provided.

Review and Approval of:

  • Institutional GME policies and procedures;
  • Annual recommendations to the Sponsoring Institution’s administration regarding resident/fellow stipends and benefits;
  • Applications for ACGME accreditation of new programs;
  • Requests for permanent changes in resident/fellow complement;
  • Major changes in each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ structure or duration of education;
  • Additions and deletions of each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ participating sites;
  • Appointment of new Program Directors;
  • Progress reports requested by a Review Committee;
  • Responses to Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) reports;
  • Requests for exceptions to clinical and educational work hour requirements;
  • Voluntary withdrawal of ACGME program accreditation;
  • Requests for appeal of an adverse action by a Review Committee; and,
  • Appeal presentations to an ACGME Appeals Panel.

The GME Committee is responsible to establish and implement policies and procedures regarding the quality of education and the work environment for residents, review and make recommendations on resident stipends and benefits, establish and maintain oversight of program directors, establish and implement policies regarding duty hours, ensure programs provide appropriate supervision, review all ACGME program accreditation letters, and approve correspondence to ACGME.

The GMEC must demonstrate effective oversight of the Sponsoring Institution’s accreditation through an Annual Institutional Review (AIR). 

The GMEC must identify institutional performance indicators for the AIR, to include, at a minimum: 

  • the most recent ACGME institutional letter of notification;
  • results of ACGME surveys of residents/fellows and core faculty members; and,
  • each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ ACGME accreditation information, including accreditation statuses and citations.

The DIO must annually submit a written executive summary of the AIR to the Sponsoring Institution’s Governing Body. The written executive summary must include:

  • a summary of institutional performance on indicators for the AIR; and,
  • action plans and performance monitoring procedures resulting from the AIR.

The GMEC must demonstrate effective oversight of under-performing program(s) through a Special Review process.   The Special Review process must include a protocol that:

  • establishes criteria for identifying under-performance; and
  • results in a report that describes the quality improvement goals, the corrective actions, and the process for GMEC monitoring of outcomes. 
GMEC Membership
Role Name Title/Department
Chair, GMEC (Voting Member) Andrea W. Goins, DO Interim DIO and Chair, GMEC 
[Also --
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Division Chief, General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Erlanger]
Deans and Dean's Office Administration (Voting Members) James W. Haynes, MD, MBA, FAAFP Dean, College of Medicine - Chattanooga
  Jeffrey Bennett, MD, MBOE Director, CLER Integration
  Crystal Maddox, MPA Assistant Dean, Finance & Administration
  Giuseppe Pizzorno, PhD, PharmD Associate Dean, Research
  Karen S. Rogers, MD Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education; and Associate Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency)
  Melissa Peacock, BA GME Institutional Accreditation Specialist
Erlanger Administration (Voting Member) Adam Campbell, PhD, MBA Erlanger Vice President and Chief Quality Officer
GME Administration (Non-Voting Members) Rosalyn Stewart-Kalaukoa, BS, AS GME Lead Residency Coordinator
Erlanger Administration (Non-Voting Members) Jim Coleman, Jr, MBA Erlanger President & CEO
  Jensen Hyde, MD, MPH Erlanger Chief Medical Officer
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
  Tyler Winks Erlanger Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Erlanger Administration (Non-Voting Members)  Note:  One of these below may vote to represent either the Erlanger CEO or CMO if not present. Dave Garrett Erlanger Chief Information Officer
  Rachel Harris, BSN, RN Erlanger Chief Nursing Executive
Department Chairs (Non-Voting Members unless representing a Program Director) TBA Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine (Search Pending)
  Leslie Griffin, MD, MPH Chair, Department of Family Medicine
  Harish Manyam, MD Chair, Department of Medicine; and 
Chief, Erlanger Cardiology
  Mounzer Yassin-Kassab, MD, MS

Chair, Department of Neurology, and

Program Director, Neurology Residency

  Stephen DePasquale, MD, FACS Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
  Jeremy Bruce, MD Professor and Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
  Mark A. Brzezienski, MD, MS, FACS Professor and Chair, Department of Plastic Surgery, and 

Program Director, Plastic Surgery Residency
  Benjamin Dart, MD, FACS Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery
  Amar Singh, MD, FACS Professor and Chair, Department of Urology
Program Directors (Voting Members) Dharmendra Patel, MD Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
  J. Daniel Stanley, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Professor, Department of Surgery; and 


Program Director, Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship

  Frank Tift, MD, FAEMS, FACEP Program Director, Emergency Medical Services Fellowship
  W. Douglas Gregorie, MD, FACEP Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency
  Steven Fox, MD Program Director, Family Medicine Residency, and Lifestyle Medicine Curriculum Director
  Arslan Kahloon, MD Program Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship
  L. Curtis Cary, MD, FAAP, FACP, MRCP (London) Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency; and 
Associate Program Director/Resident Liaison, Pediatrics Residency
  Todd Boren, MD Program Director, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowship (Non-Standard, AAGL-Accredited)
  Harris Hawk, MD Program Director, Neuro-Interventional Surgery Fellowship (Non-Standard)
  Mounzer Yassin-Kassab, MD, MS Chair and Program Director, Neurology
  Angela Yates, MD Program Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency
  Dirk Kiner, MD

Professor and Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency; and

Vice Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

  Warren Gardner, II, MD Program Director, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Fellowship (Non-Standard, Accredited by the Orthopaedic Trauma Association)
  Karla Garcia, MD, FAAP Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
  Mark Brzezienski, MD, MS, FACS

Chair and Professor, Department of Plastic Surgery; and 

Program Director, Plastic Surgery Residency 

  W. Hunter Garrett, MD Program Director, Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship
  Radhika Shah, MD Program Director, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship
  W. Heath Giles, MD, FACS

Professor and Program Director, Surgery Residency

  Robert Maxwell, MD, FACS

Professor, Department of Surgery; and Program DIrector, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship

  Neelima Katragunta, MD, FACS, RPVI Program Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship
  Benjamin Smith, MD, FACEP Program Director, Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasonography Fellowship (Non-Standard, accredited by the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council)
  Jessica Lange, MD Program Director, Urology Residency
  Benjamin Waldorf, MD Program Director, Urology Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery Fellowship (Non-Standard, accredited by the Endourological Society)
Associate Program Directors (Non-Voting Members - may vote if representing a Program Director) Alexandria Cooke, MD Associate Program Director, Family Medicine Residency
  Patrick Stevens, MD Associate Program Director, Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
  G. Alan Hyde, MD Associate Program Director, Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship
  Sean Rice, MD Associate Program Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship
  Maria Tudor, DO Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency; and Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
  Cleopatra Thurman, DO Associate Program Director, Neurology Residency
  Robert Quigley, MD Associate Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
  Ryan Voskuil, MD Associate Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
  Vanessa Pigg, MD Assistant Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
  Amy Wells, MD Assistant Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
  Jason Zurawick, MD Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency
  Jason Rehm, MD Associate Program Director, Plastic Surgery Residency
  S. Dave Bhattacharya, MD, FACS Associate Program Director, Surgery Residency
  Christopher M. Bell, MD, FACS Associate Program Director, Surgery Residency
  Robert Jean, MD, FACS Associate Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
  Amanda Threlkeld, MD Associate Program Director, Urology Residency
  Charles Joels, MD, FACS, RPVI Associate Program Director, Vascular Surgery Fellowship
Peer-Selected Resident/Fellow Representatives (one voting member per program)   Cardiovascular DIsease Fellowship Representative 
    Emergency Medicine Resident Representative,
    Family Medicine Resident Representative 
    Gastroenterology Fellow Representative 
    Internal Medicine Resident Representative
    OB/GYN Resident Representative 
    Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Representative 
    Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Representative 
    Pediatrics Resident Representative
    Pediatrics Resident Representative
    Plastic Surgery Resident
    Surgery Resident Representative 
  R. Chace Hicks, MD Surgery Resident Representative and (PGY-6 Chief Resident)
  Alex Hwang, MD Urology Resident Representative (PGY-4 Resident)
Invited Guests (Non-Voting Members)
Holly Kell Cardiovascular Disease and Gastroenterology Fellowship Coordinator
  Mark Hayes, MPA Colon & Rectal Surgery Fellowship; Vascular Surgery Fellowship; and Surgery Residency
Fellowship Coordinator and Administrative Assistant, Department of Surgery
  Velvet Green Emergency Medicine Residency Coordinator
  Elissa McCoy, MEd Family Medicine Residency Coordinator
  Deborah Fuller

Internal Medicine Residency Coordinator II, and

Manager, Department of Medicine

  Stacey Blanks, C-TAGME, CAP Neurology Residency Coordinator
  Janie Boals Swanger, BS Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency Coordinator
  Kimberly Davis, MEd, C-TAGME, CAP Orthopaedic Surgery Residency & Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Fellowship Coordinator
  Ashley Thurston,
C-TAGME, CAP
Pediatrics Residency Coordinator II
  Allison Ellis. CCMA, CST Plastic Surgery Residency & Research Coordinator
  Elizabeth Eaves, MS, ACT, LAT Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Coordinator
  Rebecca Holloway Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Coordinator
  Maggie Hamblen, C-TAGME Surgery Residency and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, Program Coordinator II
  Elizabeth Brinn Urology Residency & Laparoscopic & Robotic Urology Surgery Fellowship Coordinator
  Cindy Rudolph, MS Vascular Surgery Coordinator
  Kiriti Vattikonda, DO Instructor & Administrative Chief Resident, Internal Medicine Residency
GMEC CLER Subcommittee
GMEC CLER Subcommittee

  • Dr. Andrea Goins - Chair (Interim DIO)
  • Dr. James Haynes (Dean)
  • Dr. Jeffrey Bennett (Quality Director, CLER Integration; & Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Children's Hospital at Erlanger)
  • Dr. Adam Campbell (Erlanger Vice President & Chief Quality/Patient Safety Officer)
  • Elizabeth Appling (Erlanger Chief Diversity Officer)
  • Rachel Harris, RN (Erlanger Chief Nursing Executive)
  • Resident Representative
  • Melissa Peacock, BA [GME Institutional Accreditation Specialist]
  • Rosalyn Stewart-Kalaukoa, AS, BS (GME Lead Residency Coordinator)
GME Program Development and Expansion Committee

GME Program Development and Expansion Committee

  • Dr. Andrea Goins - Chair (Interim DIO)
  • Dr. James Haynes (Dean)
  • Dr. Harish Manyam (Chair, Department of Medicine)
  • Dr. Benjamin Dart (Chair, Department of Surgery)
  • Crystal Maddox, MPA (Assistant Dean, Finance and Administration)
  • Steve Burkett (Erlanger Vice President, Strategy and Business Development)
  • Melissa Peacock, BA [GME Institutional Accreditation Specialist]
  • Rosalyn Stewart-Kalaukoa, BS, AS (GME Lead Residency Coordinator)
GME Institutional Policies Committee

Institutional Policies Subcommittee

  • Dr. Andrea Goins - Chair (Interim DIO)
  • Dr. James Haynes (Dean)
  • Maggie Hamblen, C-TAGME, CAP, GME Coordinator II
  • Faculty Member
  • Program Director Member
  • Melissa Peacock, BA [GME Institutional Accreditation Specialist]
  • Rosalyn Stewart-Kalaukoa, AS, BS (GME Lead Residency Coordinator)
Dec 13, 2024