Council on Podiatric Medical Education

The review process for a residency requesting accreditation requires a period of 12–18 months from the time an application is received in the Council office until the Council takes an accreditation action. This timeline may not always coordinate with the dates for the national residency application and matching service.

Earliest Possible Accreditation Timeline for New Residency Programs 

The following timelines represent the earliest possible accreditation pathway for residency applications submitted by each application deadline. Actual timelines may vary depending on the completeness of the application, scheduling of the on-site evaluation, and the accreditation review process.

Applications Submitted by the Mid-August Deadline

1. August 14, 2026: Deadline for submission of a complete application for consideration at the fall meetings of the Residency Review Committee (RRC*) and the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).
2. October 2026: If the application is approved, CPME grants eligibility for an on-site evaluation.
3. Spring 2027: On-site evaluation conducted during the next available on-site evaluation cycle.
4. September/October 2027 : The RRC and CPME review the on-site evaluation report and the program’s response, with a potential accreditation decision by CPME effective October 2027.
   • This timeline allows the newly-accredited program time to enter the CASPR/CRIP residency application cycle for the upcoming training year.
5. July 2028: Earliest start date for a new CPME-accredited residency, unless the program starts a fellow off-cycle.

Mid-January Submission Deadline

1. Mid-January, 2027: Deadline for submission of a complete application for consideration at the fall meetings of the Residency Review Committee and CPME.
2. April 2027: If the application is approved, CPME grants eligibility for an on-site evaluation.
3. Fall 2027: On-site evaluation conducted during the next available on-site evaluation cycle.
4. Spring 2028 : The RRC and CPME review the on-site evaluation report and the program’s response, with a potential accreditation decision by CPME effective April 2028.
   • Although accreditation may be effective in April 2028, this occurs after the CASPR/CRIP Match for the 2028–2029 training year. As a result, the earliest practical start date for a new residency program is generally July 2029, unless an off-cycle or transfer resident is appointed in accordance with CPME requirements.
5. July 2029: Expected start date for a new CPME-accredited residency.