About AACPM (American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine)

COTH Regional Representatives & Liaisons

The Council of Teaching Hospitals is composed of 8 Regional Representatives, a DVA Representative, an APMSA Representative and liaisons from other AACPM councils and podiatric medicine organization.

* Voting Members of the COTH

Kerry Sweet, DPM, Chair*
Region 1: AK, CA, HI, NV, OR, WA
NBPME Board Representative from COTH
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David Jolley, DPM*
Region 2: AR, AZ, CO, IA, ID, KS, MO, MN, MT, ND, NE, NM, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY
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Johnathan Rouse, DPM*
Region 3: AL, IL, IN, KY, LA, MS, TN, WI
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Danae Lowell, DPM, Chair Elect*
Region 4: OH, MI
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Jacqueline Brill, DPM*
Region 5: FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV
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Steven Vyce, DPM*
Region 6: CT, DC, MA, ME, NH, NJ, RI, VT
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Clint Lowery, DPM, Chair*
Region 7: DE, PA
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Charles Lombardi, DPM*
Region 8: NY
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Jeffrey M. Robbins, DPM*
DVA Representative

Justin Garvin*
APMSA Representative

Andrew Meyr, DPM
COTH Representative to RRC

Roland Ramdass, DPM
ABFAS Liaison

Bryan Roth, DPM
ABPM Liaison

Marshall Solomon, DPM
ACFAOM Liaison

Robert Joseph, DPM
ACFAS Liaison

Cheree Eldridge, DPM
APMA-Young Physician Liaison

Oleg Petrov, DPM
ASPS Liaison

Nahla Wu
CPME Liaison

Shanika Hill, DPM
AACPM Council of Faculties Liaison

COTH Future Meeting Dates

The Council of Teaching Hospitals has set the following meeting dates and locations.

2020

April 18, 2020, Seattle WA
October 10, 2020, Boston MA

COTH Committees

COTH Rules & Regulations

The Rules & Regulations are meant to clearly communicate the methods by which COTH executes its responsibilities and conducts its business.

COTH Rules and Regulations 2015 – FINAL

AACPM & COTH Statement on Bias and Harassment

AACPM and COTH are committed to preventing bias and harassment of any kind throughout the residency selection and education processes. AACPM and COTH do not tolerate any type of inappropriate or illegal questions or conduct by program faculty, applicants, or staff. We strongly encourage participants to report anything that they believe to be inappropriate or illegal questions or conduct in any or all of the following ways:

(1) If at CRIP, to AACPM staff in the Registration Office, or

(2) By sending an email to casprweb@aacpm.org, or

(3) By reporting it to your college residency coordinator, or

(4) By filing a report with COTH.

Applicant’s may refuse to answer any inappropriate or illegal questions and should physically leave any situation in which they feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Reporting inappropriate questions and behavior is also essential to eliminating harassment and discrimination. The following suggestions are provided only to the extent helpful to manage difficult situations. Applicants are never expected to accept or “put up with” inappropriate remarks or situations.

AACPM’s and COTH’s ability to take concrete action, beyond policy and education, hinges on receiving a complaint with sufficient information to allow us to investigate and take appropriate action. The identity of the complainant is kept confidential when possible, however complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed depending on the requirements of an appropriate investigation.

Inappropriate/Illegal Questions and Sexual Harassment During an Interview

Inappropriate and Illegal Interview Questions

All interview questions and discussions should be related to position and the applicant’s skills and education to meet the position requirements. Regardless of intent, applicants should never feel pressured to reveal information about topics not directly pertaining to their capabilities as a resident.

Federal laws prohibit interviewers to discriminate against individuals based on their race, gender, nationality, religion, military status, marital status, disabilities, and age (the “protected classes”). A residency program that asks questions about these topics can face charges of discrimination, an investigation by the US EEOC, and a potential lawsuit. Even if an applicant volunteers information that is related to these topics, programs should not ask follow-up questions, pursue the topic, or consider it when making their choice of residents. In addition to the list or “protected classes” above, many states have laws restricting employers from basing employment decisions on other information, such as a prior criminal record.

Sexual Harassment During the Resident Selection Process

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and is never appropriate during any part of the resident selection process. Sexual harassment includes inappropriate comments about an applicant’s body, unwelcome physical contact (touching or touching themselves in a suggestive way), and requests for intimacy. It is NEVER appropriate for an interviewer to violate an applicant’s personal space or to imply that your residency prospects will be impacted by your response to a request for intimacy.

Additional Information

Sources

The sources below were used to create this document. Please refer to them for more information, examples, and advice on handling illegal/inappropriate interview questions or harassment.

Standards & Practices for Residency Programs in Resident Selection

The Council of Teaching Hospitals (COTH) of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) is a national non-profit educational association whose interests extend to all phases of graduate podiatric medical education. COTH is charged with the administration of the programs designed to create an organized and equitable residency selection process. These standards are applicable to all residency

programs participating in the national application and matching service and were developed to ensure that the institutions will exercise the highest of ethical and professional standards in the conduct of their graduate training activities. Each participating residency program shall ensure that their personnel shall adhere faithfully to these principles and practices.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Residency Program Faculty and affiliated personnel shall:

Provide professional service in a manner which indicates their acceptance of and desire to fulfill
the mission and goals of the employing training institution and their support of the educational
interests, rights and welfare of all podiatric residents;
Act responsibly as one means of enhancing personal development and promoting responsible
behavior among podiatric residents;
Ensure that all information conveyed to students, residents, employers, employees, supervisors,
colleagues and the public is factual and presented in the appropriate context. They shall respect
the educational and professional records of student externs, residents and program graduates and
release such information only under legally recognized circumstances and with the appropriate
Execute their professional responsibilities with fairness and impartiality and show equal
consideration to individuals regardless of their status or position, their race, ethnic origins, color,
sex, age or religion. Consistent with principles that have generally governed U.S. higher
education, they shall encourage diversity and promote the educational and cultural advantages of

SELECTION PROCESS FOR RESIDENTS

Residency selection personnel shall:

Abide by the official schedule printed in the CASPR application materials and shall not conduct
interviews for the purposes of resident selection prior to the first interview date or in conflict
with any of the interview dates published by the national resident matching service.
Establish criteria for the evaluation of all applicants to its residency program.
Not require that students provide materials that would duplicate those provided by the CASPR
Notify applicants well in advance of application deadlines of all requirements that shall be met in
order to be considered for the residency program.
Provide a current residency program description that accurately reflects the clinical experiences
and benefits afforded the applicant, if selected.
Charge an application fee to applicants for consideration to the program that appropriately covers
the expenses of the residency selection process without creating remaining funds that constitute a
profit to the program for use in other areas in the administration of the residency program.
Not demand students participate in hospital visitations, pre-interviews or social events to be
considered for residency selection.
Conduct residency interviews in a professional manner with consistent standards for all
Conduct promotional activities in a professional manner.
Accept, for the purpose of documenting student academic records, only official transcripts and
test scores in the residency selection process, which come directly from the registrar’s office of
the institutions the candidate attends or had attended or from other appropriate agencies.
Understand that the selection form is confidential and is the final determinant for selection.
Not accept an applicant who is under contract to another residency program or matching service
without a signed release from that residency program or matching service.
Adhere to the notification date established by the national resident matching service.

Adopted by COTH Administrative Board March 2004

Approved by the AACPM Board of Directors March 2004

Complaint Policy for Violations of the Standards & Practices

PROCEDURES FOR REVIEWING COMPLAINTS AGAINST PODIATRIC RESIDENCY PROGRAMS CHARGED WITH VIOLATING COTH POLICIES REGARDING RESIDENCY SELECTION AND CASPR PARTICIPATION

It is the policy of the Council of Teaching Hospitals of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) to ensure that all residency programs participating in the national application and matching service comply with all the rules, guidelines and standards related to residency selection and participation in the Association’s centralized application service, CASPR, its regional interview program, CRIP, and that its members also comply with all rules, practices and guidelines of the Council. Individuals with interest in graduate podiatric medical education may file a complaint against any podiatric residency program participating in CASPR. Only COTH members may file a complaint against another COTH member for COTH compliance matters unrelated to CASPR. Appropriately filed complaints will be addressed in accordance with the procedures stated below.

I. Committee Composition:

The COTH Complaint Committee shall be composed of the Chair of the COTH, the Chair-Elect and the Executive Director of the AACPM. If the Chair so desires, the Regional Representative in which the institution involved is assigned may be asked to take part in the investigation and serve as an additional Committee member.
Members of the Administrative Board of the COTH and/or staff may be assigned by the Chair to conduct additional investigation as necessary, including without limitation visiting the institution to obtain additional information, interviewing relevant parties and the like.
All persons investigating the complaint understand and agree that the complaint and all information related to the complaint is confidential and shall be made available only to persons with a specific need to know the information and who are involved in investigating or acting on the complaint.
Should the complaint be from or against the residency program represented by the Chairman, the Chair-Elect of the COTH shall receive the complaint and shall assume the role as Chair of the Complaint Committee and take all responsibility in these Procedures otherwise assigned to the Chairman.
No individual representing the program from which the complaint was received or against which the complaint is made, or any other person with a conflict of interest, shall be assigned to investigate the complaint. The complainant may also be given an opportunity to discuss the complaint and/or meet with the Chairman or his representatives within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the complaint by the complainant.

II. Complaint Requirements

In order to be considered, the complaint must be received by the Chair in written form, such as letter, facsimile or email.
The complaint must be signed and include the following:
1. Name of the Podiatric Residency Program against which the complaint is made and its Director.
2. The nature of the complaint.
3. How the complainant has been affected by this alleged violation.
4. Statement of the policy, standard or guideline that has been considered violated
If available, the complaint should also include dates and written documents that would support the allegation such as invitations, agendas, schedules or any other such materials.
If the complainant desires to have his/her name withheld from the parties involved, it should be so stated in the complaint.

III. Procedure:

The Chair shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint, request additional information from the complainant as necessary and provide the complainant an opportunity to discuss the complaint with the Chair within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the complaint by the Chair.
During this same initial 10 day time period, the Chair notifies in writing the Director of the Residency Program against which the Complaint is made, with a copy to the hospital administrator, and requests the institution respond within ten (10) working days. All correspondence is to be sent by certified mail.
The Chair reviews any additional information received from the complainant and the response of the residency program within ten (10) days of receiving all the information and responses. If the complaint appears valid, the complaint and all additional information and responses are distributed to the Committee to discuss and make a preliminary finding.
Within ten (10) working days, the Committee should make its initial determination and notify in writing the Residency Program Director and hospital administrator of its findings. The Residency Program Director and hospital administrator have ten (10) days from receipt of the initial findings to review the findings and respond in writing.
The committee reviews any response received from the Residency Program Director and hospital administrator within ten (10) days of the receipt of the response.
1. If the residency program director is not in substantial agreement with the proposed findings, an effort is made to identify and reconcile the possible differences.
2. The Committee will make recommendations to the COTH Administrative Board.
3. Any sanctions imposed upon an institution must receive a majority vote of the COTH Administrative Board.
The final disposition of the complaint ordinarily includes one or more of the following actions within a timely manner.
1. Response to the complainant that provides clarification of the complaint and adequate information for resolution or reports the action of the COTH Administrative Board.
2. Recommendations to the residency program director for changes in procedures for adherence to Association policies governing residency selection and participation in the programs administered by the COTH Administrative Board.
3. Imposition of Sanctions that may include any or all of the following:
4. Programs found in violation that are COTH members shall be put on probationary status in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Council of Teaching Hospitals;
5. Programs found in violation shall be listed on the CASPR/CRIP web site as well as on the public site of the COTH web site;
6. These programs shall be identified during the CASPR/CRIP Orientation Presentations at the colleges of podiatric medicine;
7. Letters shall be sent to the Deans of the colleges of podiatric medicine and the Graduate Placement Directors with the strong suggestion that this list be posted for students to see;
8. COTH Regional Representatives shall notify the residency programs in their region of these sanctioned programs;
9. A letter shall be sent to CPME noting the action of the COTH Administrative Board against the sanctioned program with a certified copy mailed to the sanctioned program.
10. Other recommendations or actions that the COTH Administrative Board deems appropriate given the nature of the complaint and its disposition before the Board.
In the event that the residency program director and/or hospital administrator is not in agreement with the final determination of the COTH Administrative Board the matter will be turned over to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine for adjudication at the written request of the institution.

Adopted by COTH Administrative Board July 1992

Approved by the AACPM Board of Directors February 1993

Amended October 1999, November 2004, January 24, 2005, May 12, 2005

Approved by the AACPM Board of Directors, March 9, 2005

Stewart J. Bass, DPM Resident Rescue Fund

An issue of great concern in postgraduate podiatric medical education is the sudden discontinuation of a podiatric residency program by its sponsoring institution. When this occurs in the midst of a resident training year, it is not only tragic for the profession but a personal tragedy for the individuals involved.

In an effort to be of assistance to future generations of podiatric residents, the Council of Teaching Hospitals (COTH) of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM) has established the Stewart J. Bass, DPM Resident Rescue Fund.

Goals

To serve as a support system for those residents engaged in CPME approved podiatric residency programs.
To foster good relations between present podiatrists and the next generation of podiatric physicians.

Objective
To develop and implement mechanisms for the collection and disbursement of funds for those engaged in podiatric residency programs who find themselves in financial distress due to institutional failure.

Funding
The Fund was begun in November 2000, with an initial investment from the AACPM reserves that was augmented by a portion of the annual dues paid by AACPM teaching hospital members. Additionally, the Fund accepts donations from private individuals and corporations.

Member Guide

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