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Policy of the Graduate Medical Education Committee
Section: Educational Administration
Subject: Residents Transferring Between Residency Programs
Number: 1.210
Date Developed: 11/01
Last Review/Revision: 12/05
Replaces: policy of same name, dated 1/02
ACGME Requirements: Common IIIC
Purpose
To define the procedure residents and Program Directors must follow when a
resident wishes to transfer to another residency program.
Definitions
Current
Residency Program/Program Director: the program or program director to which the
resident is currently appointed (includes fellows and fellowships). This
includes the program in which the resident is currently enrolled and any program
to which the resident has a Match obligation (e.g., a resident in a general
surgery preliminary year who has matched into urology or otolaryngology).
Receiving Residency
Program/Program Director: the program or program director to which the resident
wishes to transfer.
Policy
In order to allow the
current Program Director to make appropriate plans to fill a vacated position
and to maintain professional relationships, ethical standards and program
stability for residents and program directors, the following procedure must be
followed when a resident wishes to transfer to another program:
1) Between programs sponsored by the UAMS College of Medicine (UAMS-COM), or
2) From a program sponsored by UAMS-COM to a program sponsored by another
institution, or
3) From a program sponsored by another institution to a program sponsored by
UAMS-COM.
It is unethical for a
Program Director to initiate recruitment of a resident currently in a program at
UAMS-COM or elsewhere and discuss specific positions or arrangements with the
resident without first receiving written or verbal notification from the current
Program Director. It is unethical for a resident to seriously pursue a transfer
to a program within UAMS-COM or elsewhere without first discussing his/her plans
with the current Program Director.
Failure to abide by the
procedures outlined below may result in the resident not being allowed to
transfer or the filing of a complaint with the Residency Review Committees of
the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the specialty
boards.
To determine
the appropriate level of education for a resident who is transferring from
another program, the Program Director must receive written verification of
the previous educational experiences and a statement regarding the performance
evaluation of the transferring resident, including an assessment of
competence in the six general competency areas, prior to acceptance into the
program. A Program Director is required to provide verification of residency
education for any residents who may leave the program prior to completion of
their education.
Procedure
I. Transferring from one
program in the UAMS-COM to another Program in the UAMS-COM:
A. The resident may request to meet with the
Program Director or his/her designee of the receiving program to discuss
general information about the program and careers in that specialty. No
information about specific positions should be discussed. The Program Director
of the receiving program may refuse to meet with the resident prior to receiving
a release from the current Program Director (see item I.B.). After this initial
general discussion, it is unethical for the resident to pursue a transfer
without first discussing the plans with his/her current Program Director. If a
resident persists in contacting the Program Director of the receiving program,
this Program Director must notify the current Program Director of these
activities.
B. After the initial general discussion between the resident and the Program
Director of the receiving program (noted in IA above), if a resident wishes to
seriously pursue a transfer, the resident must discuss the possibility of
leaving the current program with the current Program Director. In some cases,
this discussion might reveal problems or concerns of the resident that can be
solved by the Program Director that may obviate the resident’s desire to
transfer. The current Program Director may also advise on career planning
and/or assist with the transfer. If the resident decides to seriously pursue
the transfer, the resident must obtain written or verbal notification
from the current Program Director to pursue the transfer.
C. When the Program Director of the receiving program receives the written
or verbal notification for the resident to pursue the transfer, then the
Program Director of the receiving program can freely talk with the resident
regarding specific position openings within the program.
D. As much as possible,
transfers should be decided before January 1 of the year prior to the transfer,
which usually occurs in July or at the end of the current appointment period, so
that the current Program Director can interview, recruit and match a resident to
fill the vacated position.
II. Transferring from a
program in the UAMS COM to a program outside the UAMS-COM:
A. When a resident wishes to seriously pursue a
transfer to a program outside of UAMS-COM, the resident must discuss the
possibility of leaving the current program with his/her current Program
Director. In some cases, this discussion might reveal problems or concerns of
the resident that can be solved by the Program Director that may obviate the
resident’s desire to transfer. The Program Director may also advise on career
planning and/or assist with the transfer. If the resident decides to seriously
pursue the transfer, the resident must obtain written or verbal notification
from the current Program Director to pursue the transfer.
B. As much as possible,
transfers should be decided before January 1 of the year prior to the transfer,
which usually occurs in July or at the end of the current appointment period, so
that the current Program Director can interview, recruit and match a resident to
fill the vacated position.
III. Transferring from a
program outside of UAMS COM to a program in the UAMS-COM:
A. When a resident from a program outside of the
UAMS-COM wishes to seriously pursue a transfer to a program in the UAMS-COM, the
resident must provide the UAMS-COM Program Director with a written or verbal
release from the current Program Director for the resident to pursue the
transfer. The UAMS-COM Program Director shall contact the current Program
Director to discuss the academic status (including the six general competency
areas) of the resident prior to seriously considering the applicant and prior to
inviting the resident for an interview.
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