The New York State Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) held a plenary session on December 16, 2002, at which Council members heard a presentation by Thomas J. Monahan, Executive Secretary of the New York State Board for Medicine, on a proposal to require New York residency trainees to obtain a limited permit from the State Education Department prior to completing the first year of postgraduate training.

According to Mr. Monahan, this additional requirement would help to ensure that residents are credentialed through a standardized system and would be more clearly subject to the professional disciplinary process. Following Mr. Monahan's remarks, Council members discussed the need for this additional credential and noted that the State Office of Professional Medical Conduct already has jurisdiction over these individuals. COGME members also indicated that they would consider establishing a workgroup to review the issue and make a recommendation to the State Education Department.