5.1 School Of Medicine Compliance Award

The Commitment to Patient Safety and Personal Accountability Certificate of Recognition Award

UWSOM Compliance Requirements

There are several ways in which students are required to take steps to ensure they are in compliance with the rules and regulations that govern the public profession of medicine. The Compliance Award is an incentive program for students to maintain compliance, meet deadlines, and reap the benefits of their diligence when applying for residency.  

Compliance requirements will continue to be a reality despite the many competing priorities that you will face in your day-to-day practices. 

All the requirements you are asked to complete are ultimately for the benefit of patient safety and completing these requirements in a timely fashion speaks volumes to residency programs. 

You are eligible for the Commitment to Patient Safety and Personal Accountability Certificate of Recognition award if you complete all of your compliance requirements by the initial assigned due date. 

All entering students are eligible regardless of whether they met the pre-matriculation compliance deadline. In July of the MS3 year, you will receive a letter and a certificate which can be included in your CV and ERAS application under awards and honors, in time to be included in your CV for residency applications.

The award serves as a powerful indication to your future employers of your professionalism and accountability but more importantly, you can feel that you are doing the right thing in upholding your commitment to patient safety. To check your eligibility for the award please email somcompl@uw.edu

Eligibility

  • Eligible students will have met every requirement by the initial assigned deadline. Missing a compliance deadline will disqualify eligible students.
  • All entering students are eligible regardless of whether they met the pre-matriculation compliance deadline.

Award Letter & Certificate

  • In July of the MS3 year, you will receive a letter signed by the Vice Dean and a certificate which can be included in your CV and ERAS application under awards and honors, in time to be included in your CV for residency applications. 

The award serves as a powerful indication to your future employers of your professionalism and accountability but more importantly, you can feel that you are doing the right thing in upholding your commitment to patient safety.  

To check your eligibility for the award please email somcompl@uw.edu.

History

46 percent of the graduating class of 2026 received the Compliance Award this year (Table 1). Students who qualified for the award had met all compliance deadlines since beginning medical school.

Graduating Class

No. of Graduating MS4s

No. of award recipients

Percentage of class

2026

295

135

46%

2025

278

171

62%

2024

264

187

71%

2023

287

201

70%

2022

265

194

73%

2021

296

184

62%

2020

269

152

57%

2019

243

115

47%

2018

211

93

44%

2017

210

65

30%

 

Compliance rates (Table 2) have generally been rising steadily since 2016 when the certificate of recognition was implemented.

 

Class

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Entered 2025

100%

   

Entered 2024

100%

92%

  

Entered 2023

100%

94%

57%

 

Entered 2022

100%

96%

62%

46%

Entered 2021

100%

93%

78%

62%

Entered 2020

100%

97%

85%

71%

Entered 2019

100%

96%

85%

70%

Entered 2018

100%

91%

81%

73%

Entered 2017

100%

90%

74%

63%

Entered 2016

100%

88%

72%

57%

Entered 2015

100%

67%

52%

47%

Entered 2014

  

49%

29%

Entered 2013

  

57%

30%

Current Status

All MS1s are eligible for the certificate of recognition, even if they missed deadlines for pre-matriculation compliance pre-requisites. MS1s who miss the flu shot deadline on Oct. 1 would be disqualified. So, please keep this deadline in mind for your calendar.

Please reach out to somcompl@uw.edu to check on your current eligibility status or for any questions regarding the compliance award.

Keep up the good work! 

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