This guide has been developed to provide meanings (and at times context) to acronyms you may come across while at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Virginia Tech, and to some degree, across the field of medicine.
If you come across an acronym that isn't listed on this page that you think should be listed, please email us at vtcsomlibrary@vt.edu so it can be added (even if you don't know what it stands for, let us know it exists and we'll find out what it means!).
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | #s
(note, use the double arrows on the right-hand side of the page to jump back up to the top)
A
AAMC = American Association of Medical Colleges
ABMS = American Board of Medical Specialties
ACCME = Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
- Accredits organizations that provide continuing medical education for physicians.
ACE = Accredited Continuing Education
ACGME = Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
ACGME Competencies:
- Practice-Based Learning and Improvement (PBLI)
- Patient Care and Procedural Skills (PCPS)
- Systems-Based Practice (SBP)
- Medical Knowledge (MK)
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills (ICS)
- Professionalism (PROF)
ACR - American College of Radiation
AI (multiple uses)
= Acting Internship
= Appreciative Inquiry
= Artificial Intelligence
AMA = American Medical Association
APGO = Association of Professors of Gynecology & Obstetrics
API = Application Programming Interface
- a mechanism to connect two or more systems
AR (multiple uses)
= Augmented Reality
= Away Rotations
AY = Academic Year
B
B&B = Boards & Beyond
- 3rd party educational product VTCSOM provides a subscription to medical students to augment and enhance learning outside the classroom
BIC-1 = Block Integration Curriculum 1
- Prior to the curriculum change in 2024, this was the VTCSOM committee that worked on developing and modifying the curriculum and learning experiences for M1 & M2 preclinical (Phase 1) students.
BIC2 = Block Integration Curriculum 2
- This is the VTCSOM committee that works on developing and modifying the curriculum and learning experiences for M3 & M4 clinical (Phase 2) students.
BOG / BOTG = Boots on the Ground
BOGG = Boots on the Ground Group(s)
BS = Basic Sciences
- One of the four domains of the VTCSOM
C
CARE = Clinical Awareness and Reflection Experience
- C3ARE:
Clinician interviews
Community
Clinical half-day
CAS = Customized Assessment Services
CBME = Competency-Based Medical Education
CBSE = Comprehensive Basic Science Examination
CC = Clinical Competency
CD = Competency Domain
- Patient Care (PC)
- Medical Knowledge (MK)
- Systems-Based Practice (SLP)
- Problem-Based Learning and Improvement (PBLI)
- Professionalism (PROF)
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills (ICS)
CCI = Community and Clinical Immersions
- One of five new courses starting in 2024 for preclinical section of curriculum that contains LACE and BOG.
CCSE = Comprehensive Clinical Skills Exam
CCT = Course Continuity Team
- Oversees IFS course
CK = Clinical Knowledge
CLE = Community Learning Exchange
CM = Concept Maps
CME = Continuing Medical Education
CNH = Children's National Hospital
CNRIC = Children's National Research & Innovation Campus (Washington, DC)
COI = Conflict of Interest
COW = Case of the Week
CQI = Continuous Quality Improvement
CRC = Corporate Research Center (Blacksburg, VA)
CRCH = Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital
CRMH = Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
CRQ = Constructed Response Question(s)
CS = Clinical Science(s)
- One of the four domains of the VTCSOM
CSE = Clinical Simulation Exam
CSRPS = Center for Simulation Research and Patient Safety
CST = Core Strategy Team
CY = Calendar Year
D
DCI = Data Collection Instrument
DEI = Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
E
EBE = End of Block Evaluations
ECE = Early Clinical Experience
- Former title for VTCSOM's longitudinal immersion course that contains LACE and BOG. Will not be officially used going forward in the curriculum post-2024, but acronym exists in some draft materials and pre-2024 curriculum documents.
EGS = Emergency General Surgery
EHR = Electronic Health Record
EMR = Electronic Medical Record(s)
EMS = Emergency Medical Services
EMQ = Extended Matching Question (exam question type)
- Question type typically used in exams to test applied knowledge and diagnostic reasoning skills.
EOB = End of Block
EPA = Entrustable Professional Activities
EPO = Educational Program Objectives
ERAS = Electronic Residency Application System
ERM = Error Reflection Method
- Method/worksheet to use the information from quiz/test results to focus on the "why" a response was incorrect in order to address the underlying cause of the error.
F
F = Fail (grading)
FBRI = Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
FERPA = Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
FSMB = Federation of State Medical Boards
FTE = Full Time Equivalent
FY = Fiscal Year
G
GME = Graduate Medical Education
GI = Gastrointestinal
GQ = Graduate Questionaire
GR = Grand Rounds
GU = Genitourinary
H
H = Honors (grading)
HCE = Health Care Ethics
HCP = Healthcare Professional
HEENOT = Head, Ears, Eyes, Nose, Oral, Throat
HEENT = Head, Ears, Eyes, Nose, Throat
HIPPA = Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HM = Harmonized Milestone
HMA = Harmonized Milestone Assessment
HP = High Pass (grading)
HPI = History of Present Illness
HSIS = Health Systems & Implementation Science
- Department within the VTCSOM
HS&T = Health Sciences & Technology (campus)
HSS = Health Systems Science
- Includes the study of how healthcare delivery systems provide high quality, high value care to the patients and populations they serve and the teams of healthcare professionals from a variety of disciplines who work together to deliver this care.
HSSIP = Health Systems Science and Interprofessional Practice
- One of the four domains of the VTCSOM
- One of five new courses starting in 2024 for the preclinical curriculum
HST = Health Sciences and Technology
Hx = History
I
ICE = Integrated Case-based Essay
ICS = Interpersonal and Communication Skills
IDR = Interdisciplinary Rounds
IDT = Interdisciplinary Teams
IFS = Integrated Foundational Sciences.
- One of five new courses starting in 2024 for preclinical section of curriculum that contains BS and CS.
IP (multiple uses)
= Intellectual Property
= Internet Protocol (IP address)
= Interprofessional Practice
- Refers to teams of healthcare professionals from a variety of disciplines working together to deliver high quality healthcare
IS = Illness Scripts
ISA = Independent Student Analysis
iTHRIV = integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia
J
K
KPI = Key Performance Indicators
L
LACE = Longitudinal Ambulatory Care Experience
LASSI = Learning and Study Strategies Inventory
LCME = Liaison Committee on Medical Education
- National organization responsible for accrediting medical education programs
LCME DCI = Data Collection Instrument
LCME ISA = Independent Student Analysis
LEAC = Learning Environment Advocacy Committee
LETs-C = Library and Educational Technologies Committee
LLM = Large Language Modeling
- Often used for AI computational applications, seeing an increase of this type of technology being used in medical settings (e.g. medical records)
LO = Learning Outcome(s)
LOD = Letters of Distinction
- Historical context, last used in Phase 1 curriculum for the Class of 2027
M
MALL = Master Adaptive Learner Log
MCC = Medical Curriculum Committee
MCQ = Multiple Choice Question(s)
MD = Physican (Medical Doctor)
MDT = Module Delivery Template
MELT = Medical Education Leadership Team
MEQ = Modified Essay Question(s)
MeSH = Medical Subject Headings
- Form of controlled vocabulary most ofren used when searching PubMed or Medline
MK = Medical Knowledge
MMI (multiple uses)
= Maximum Medical Improvement
= Multiple Mini Interview
- Series of short assessments used to evaluate "soft" skills such as communication, teamwork, cultural sensitivity, and collegiality
MOA = Memorandum of Agreement
MOU = Memorandum of Understanding
MSAC = Medical Student Admissions Committee
MSK = Musculoskeletal
MSPCC = Medical Student Performance and Promotion Committee
- This VTCSOM committee has the ultimate responsibility for overseeing the student professionalism system.
- They have the delegated the responsibility for overseeing all processes by which students are promoted, evaluated, or removed from their academic program.
MSPE = Medical Student Performance Evaluation
- A written transcript of the student's performance in medical school and a required component of the residency application.
N
NBME = National Board of Medical Examiners
NBME CAS = NBME Customized Assessment Services
NCAT = National Clinical Assessment Tool
NCAT-EM = National Clinical Assessment Tool in the Emergency Department
NLP = Natural Language Processing
NM = Nurse-Midwife/Midwives
NP = Nurse-Practitioner(s)
O
OME = Office of Medical Education
OR&I = Office of Research and Innovation
- This group has oversight of all of Virginia Tech's research activities for the university (IRB, IACUC, sponsored programs, compliance, etc.).
OSCE = Objective Structured Clinical Examination
OSR = Organization of Student Representatives
OVPRI = Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation
- Previous name of Virginia Tech's office that oversees all aspects of research for the university (IRB, IACUC, sponsored programs, compliance, etc.). This is a common acronym on several grants and extensions.
P
P = Pass (grading)
PA = Physician's Assistant
PBL = Problem-Based Learning
PBLI = Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
PC = Patient Care
PCPS = Patient Care and Procedural Skills
PE = Physical Exam/Examination
PENs = Physical Examination Notes
PHS = Population Health Sciences
PIC-1 = Phase 1 Integration Committee
- With the start of the new curriculum in 2024, this VTCSOM committee works on developing and modifying the curriculum and learning experiences for all preclinical students
PIC 2/3 = Phase 2 & 3 Integration Committee
- With the start of the new curriculum in 2024, this VTCSOM committee works on developing and modifying the curriculum and learning experiences for all clinical students and is developing the new phases of the curriculum as VTCSOM moves to a 3-phase structure.
POC = Point of Care
POCUS = Point of Care Ultrasound
POMI = Profession of Medicine Identities
- One of five new courses starting in 2024 for preclinical curriculum
- 2-week immersion course, incorporates CARE and C3ARE
PROF = Professionalism
PT = Physical Therapy
Q
Qbank = Question Bank (exam prep tools)
QR (code) = Quick Response (code)
R
R&I = Research & Inquiry
- One of the four domains of the VTCSOM
RFA = Request for Application
- Often used when applying for grant funding
RIC = Research & Innovation Campus (Washington, DC)
- Shortened abbreviation sometimes used for the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus (CNRIC)
- Not the same as Virginia Tech's Innovation Campus (which is located in Alexandria, VA)
ROS = Review of Systems
S
S = Subcompetency
When used in conjunction with VTCSOM's Competency Domains, for instance:
CD2_S9 = Medical Knowledge, Basic science foundation
CD3_S16 = Systems-based Practice, Quality improvement
CD5_S32 = Professionalism, Conscientious behaviors
SACS = Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
SADME = Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education
SAQ = Short Answer Question(s)
SBA = Single Best Answer (exam question type)
- Question type typically used in exams to identify gaps in your knowledge.
SBP = Systems-Based Practice
SCHEV = State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
SDOH = Social Determinants of Health
SIG = Student Interest Group(s)
SIM = Simulations
SOP = Standard Operating Procedures
SOAP = Subjective, Objective, Assessment, & Plan
SSD = Services for Students with Disabilities
SP = Standardized Patient
SPAL = Special Projects Anatomy Lab
SSO = Single Sign On (for logging into VT resources)
SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
T
TEACH = Teaching Excellence Academy for Collaborative Healthcare
TMT = Transition Monitoring Team
- Starting in 2024, this team will be monitoring the changes and implementations as the VTCSOM begins to explore and incrementally expand its class sizes.
TTR = Transition to Residency
U
UME = Undergraduate Medical Education
URiM or URIM = Underrepresented in Medicine
URM = Underrepresented Minority
US = Ultrasound
USMLE = United States Medical Licensing Examination
- The exam administered by NBME and is comprised of three separate exams (steps)
Step 1 assesses the basic sciences skills and concepts taught during pre-clerkship curriculum.
Step 2 CK assesses clinical knowledge and skills that can be applied to patient care under supervision.
Step 3 assesses in-depth clinical knowledge and decision-making to be able to care for patients independently.
V
VAMC = Veterans Affairs Medical Center
VIAL = Virginia Intercollegiate Anatomy Lab
VR = Virtual Reality
VT = Virginia Tech
VTCSOM = Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
W
WAC = Wellness Advocacy Committee
WBA = Work-based Assessment
X
Y
Z
#s (Acronyms that start with numbers)
2FA = Two-Factor Authentication
- Authentication step required to log into all VT-associated accounts - Canvas, Library resources, etc.