Scope
This policy was developed for SIU Medicine. SIU Medicine collectively applies to the SIU School of Medicine (SIU SOM), including the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and SIU HealthCare (SIU HC). These entities are collectively referred to as SIU in this document.
This document applies to SIU staff, faculty, trainees, agents, officers, directors, interns, volunteers, contractors, and any other individual or entity engaged in providing teaching, research and health care items and services at SIU. These individuals are collectively referred to as SIU personnel in this document.
Definitions
The term “resident” is inclusive of all trainees at SIU SOM, whether training in a residency or fellowship program. The term “program” is inclusive of all SIU residency or fellowship programs, whether accredited or non-accredited.
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to programs on how to proceed if a resident is unable to start their clinical training within three weeks of their contract commencement date.
Procedure
Incoming residents are contractually bound to start on time. If a resident is unable to start work within three weeks of their contract commencement date, the program director may, at their discretion, hold the position until September 1st (or 10 weeks post contract commencement date for off-cycle residents). Any positions held beyond this deadline must have the approval of the DIO/Chair of the GMEC and the prospective employing hospital.
If residents start before the three-week deadline and meet all other requirements, they may finish their first year on cycle with their class the following year. Residents starting more than 3 weeks late will not be allowed to make up missed time by forsaking their vacation and education leave. Such efforts to accelerate training and graduate “on cycle” are inappropriate and create inconsistencies within and between training programs.
Residents who find themselves in a delayed start date are encouraged to attend and participate in the Orientation of New Residents.
If a resident has met all requirements for employment except receipt of a license by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and it is reasonably expected that a license will be granted on or before the three-week deadline, the resident may, at the program director’s discretion, be allowed to start on time. Until a license is granted, the program director must ensure that the resident will participate in non-clinical activities only, and must provide verification that the resident can receive training credit for those non-clinical activities. If a license is not received by the three-week deadline, the resident will be placed on unpaid leave. If the resident has not received a license by September 1st (or the 10-week deadline for off-cycle residents), they will be terminated, unless extension of the leave is approved by the DIO/Chair of GMEC and the employing hospital.