Volunteers
As it has since its inception, the ACCME System continues to rely on our community of dedicated volunteers. We thank all the volunteers for their commitment to achieving our mission and to sustaining a high-quality, self-regulated CME system that advances clinician performance and patient care.
About Our Volunteers
Currently, approximately 165 volunteers serve on the national level as accreditation surveyors, and as members of the Accreditation Review Committee, Joint Accreditation Review Committee, Committee for Review and Recognition, and Board of Directors. Thousands of volunteers serve at the state level as surveyors, accreditation reviewers, and committee members. In total, an estimated 20,000 people across the country support the system.
In return for their donation of time and expertise, ACCME volunteers receive the opportunity to learn from their colleagues, gain a broader understanding of the CME environment, and contribute to continuous improvement in the accreditation system. Volunteers receive no honoraria or other form of compensation; however, they are reimbursed for the expenses they incur in compliance with the ACCME’s volunteer expense reimbursement policies.
The Board of Directors is the governing body of the ACCME. It is charged with setting the strategic direction for the organization and leading the ACCME in identifying, developing, and promoting standards for quality continuing medical education.
Accreditation Review Committee (ARC) members are responsible for reviewing the information about CME providers gathered during the accreditation process and making recommendations about accreditation decisions to the Decision Committee of the ACCME Board of Directors. ARC members are CME professionals who have in-depth knowledge of CME, the ACCME, and accreditation requirements.Their volunteer service with the ACCME makes it possible to maintain a voluntary, self-regulated CME system.
The following is a list of current Accreditation Review Committee Members:
- Jodi F. Abbott, MD
- Ruth Adewuya, MD, MEHP
- Nels Loyal Carlson, MD
- Aleece Caron, PhD
- Devon Cortright, MEd
- Steven Diaz, MD
- Susan E. Farrell, MD, EdM
- Steven Folstein, MFA, Med
- Rani Gereige, MD, MPH
- Jason Golbin, DO, MBA, MS
- Susan B. Greenwood-Clark, RN, MBA
- Eric Hseih, MD
- Kristin C. Jensen, MD; Vice Chair
- Steven Kawczak, PhD
- Lois Krahn, MD
- Rob Armstrong Martin, MBA
- Kristin Ouweneel, MBA
- Hemesh Patel, DO, MS; Chair
- Anne Perch, MBA
- Niranjan V. Rao, MD
- Deborah Virant-Young, PharmD, BCPS, BCC
The Committee for Review and Recognition (CRR) is comprised of members nominated by the Recognized Accreditors and elected by the ACCME Board of Directors. The CRR synthesizes data to formulate recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the recognition status of state medical societies that wish to accredit intrastate providers of CME. The CRR also makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding recognition policy development.
The following is a list of current members of the Committee for Review and Recognition:
- Marci Fjelstad, MPH, MBA
- Martin Jacobs, MD
- Marc Jackson, MD, MBA
- Kendra J. Peterson; Vice Chair
- Haritha R. Rachamallu, MD; Chair
- Brooke Taylor, MPH
Resources
Volunteers play a critical role to support the ACCME and the national CME system. In return for their donation of time and expertise, the ACCME provides its volunteers with tools and education resources to support their professional development.
General Resources for Accreditation Volunteers
Resources for ACCME Surveyors
Training and Continuing Professional Development
To support their ongoing professional development, the registration fee for the Accreditation Workshop is discounted for trained ACCME surveyors. ACCME surveyors that attend the workshop are responsible for their own travel and expenses.
The ACCME provides intensive training for new surveyors that introduces volunteers to the tools, processes, and skills to support their role. Interested in pursuing this rewarding volunteer opportunity? Review the eligibility requirements and consider nominating yourself.
Designed to support surveyors by exploring examples of provider practices and insights from the accreditation review process. Each webinar is recorded and made available online for 24/7 on-demand viewing on ACCME Academy.
A compendium of examples from providers that have been evaluated under the ACCME Accreditation Criteria (including the Standards for Commercial Support). The compendium includes actual examples of provider practices that were found either compliant or noncompliant with the ACCME Criteria together with explanatory comments.
The ACCME is always looking for volunteers for our accreditation surveyor pool. If you know of a colleague who might be interested in volunteering as an ACCME surveyor, let us know by submitting a nomination form.
Awards and Recognition
The ACCME is grateful for the contributions of its many volunteers to the accreditation process and the maintenance of excellence in the accreditation system.
To show its gratitude, and recognize those volunteers that exhibit exemplary service, ACCME periodically grants the following awards:
The ACCME is only successful in its mission because of its dedicated volunteers (Board members, committee members, surveyors), partners in accreditation (the Recognized Accreditors), and accredited providers. Our annual acknowledgment of volunteers pays special tribute to those volunteers who have demonstrated exemplary and long-term service to the ACCME through our (a) service awards, and (b) recognition for the completion of surveys.
Board of Directors
- Ron Ben-Ari, MD
- Marilane Bond, EdD, MEd, MBA
- Steven Craig, MD
- Brooke Taylor, MPH
Accreditation Review Committee
- Bruce Brod, MD
- Katasha Charleston, MPH
- Apostolos Paul Dallas, MD
- Robert Kirsner, MD, PhD
- Sarah Shimer, MPH
- Mary Strong, MA
- Loretta Thompson, MBA
Committee for Review and Recognition
- Ram Sharma, MD
In 2023, the ACCME volunteer surveyors listed below reached the milestones noted for total number of interviews conducted since becoming surveyors:
25 Surveys
- Eileen Bailey, MS, CHCP
- Bonnie Bixler, MEd
- Casey D. Harrison, MBA
- Stephanie Staggs, MHA, CHCP
Purpose
The Robert Raszkowski, MD, PhD, ACCME Hero Award recognizes volunteers who have provided exemplary and long-term service to the ACCME, through service on the Board, the Accreditation Review Committee, the Committee for Review and Recognition, the Monitoring Committee, and as volunteer surveyors. The award is named for the late Robert Raszkowski, MD, PhD, a long-time, dedicated ACCME volunteer.
Recipients
Recipients of this award are a distinguished group of volunteers whose contributions exemplify Dr. Raszkowski’s spirit of volunteerism. Their extraordinary commitment and generosity of time and expertise enable the ACCME to fulfill its mission of setting standards for quality medical education and assuring that accredited providers meet those standards.
2021
- Jeffrey S. Mallin, MD
- Suzanne Ziemnik, MEd
Past Recipients
2015
- Murray Kopelow, MD, MS (Comm), FRCPC
- Michael Romano, MD, MHA
2012
- Jerilyn Glass, MD, PhD
- Carol S. Havens, MD
- Timothy W. Holder, MD
- John R. Kues, PhD
- Kim Edward LeBlanc, MD, PhD
- James Liljestrand, MD, MPH
- Sandra Norris, MBA
- David Pieper, PhD
- Harold J. Sauer, MD
- Stephen E. Willis, MD
2011
- Alejandro Aparicio, MD
- Stuart C. Gilman, MD, MPH
- Clifford Gevirtz, MD, MPH
- D. Theresa Kanya, MBA
2010
- William W. Greaves, MD, MSPH
- Karen E. Heiser, PhD
2009
- George Mejicano, MD, MS
- Ronald Murray, EdD
- J. Brian O’Toole, PhD
- David Swee, MD
2008
- Stephen S. Biddle, MEd
- Marcia J. Jackson, PhD
- Jack Dolcourt, MD, MEd
2007
- Errol Alden, MD
- Richard Ashby, MD
- Jann Torrance Balmer, RN, PhD
- Barbara E. Barnes, MD
- Arnold J. Berry, MD, MPH
- Dean R. Bordeaux, MD, MAEd
- Stanley M. Bugaieski, MD
- Linda Casebeer, PhD
- Ellen M. Cosgrove, MD
- Howard Dworkin, MD
- Melvin Freeman, MD
- Harry A. Gallis, MD
- Jerry Hammon, MD
- James E. Hartfield, MD
- Marten O. Hotvedt, PhD
- John Jurica, MD, MPH
- Robert E. Kristofco, MSW
- Brian W. Little, MD, PhD
- J. David Marler, Jr., PhD
- Albert May, MD
- Howard McQuarrie, MD
- Steven E. Minnick, MD, MBA
- Don Moore, PhD
- Robert C. Moravec, MD
- Elizabeth Murphy, EdD, RN
- Donald Pochyly, MD, MSEd
- George Porter, MD
- Robert Pyatt, MD
- Robert C. Rock, MD
- Deborah Sutherland, PhD
- Patrick Sweeney, MD, PhD
- K. M. Tan, MD
- Henry Tulgan, MD
