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.

Transfer Resident:

1) As defined by the ACGME: “Residents are considered as transfer residents under several conditions including: moving from one program to another within the same or different sponsoring institution; when entering a PGY 2 program requiring a preliminary year even if the resident was simultaneously accepted into the preliminary PGY 1 program and the PGY 2 program as part of the match (accepted to both programs right out of medical school)”.  

2) The term “transfer resident” does NOT apply to a resident who has successfully completed a residency and then is accepted into a subsequent residency or fellowship program.

Policy
 

A.        It is unethical for discussions regarding specific positions or arrangements to occur either at UAMS-COM or

            elsewhere without written acknowledgement from the current Program Director about transfer discussions. 

B.        Any resident who wishes to change programs will have their credentials approved by the GMEC before an offer is

            made for changing programs.

C.        Program Directors should act within the most current Match regulations before discussing transfers. 

D.        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.

E.         Program Directors must receive/provide timely verification of residency education and summative performance

            evaluations for any residents moving from one program to another.

F.         Programs should have a protocol for clinical coverage in the event that a suitable replacement for a vacant resident

            position is not available or in the event that the GMEC disallows a transfer.

1. The Program Director of the receiving program must obtain written or electronic verification of previous educational

     experiences and a summative competency-based performance evaluation of the completed year.

 2. This information will become part of the resident’s educational file.  Site visitors may request to see these

     documents.

 3. This approval and verification of training will occur at the program level.   

1. 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. 

            2. After the initial general discussion if a resident wishes to seriously pursue a transfer by discussing a specific

                position or arrangements, the resident must obtain written acknowledgement about the transfer discussions from

               the current Program Director.  

           3. When the Program Director of the receiving program receives the written acknowledgement from the current
               Program Director, talks may commence with the resident regarding specific position openings or arrangements
               within the program.

4. The receiving Program Director should contact the Associate Dean for Housestaff Affairs to discuss/assure funding. This information will be required for GMEC review during the approval and verification process.

 5. See Transfer Approval and Verification section below.

             http://www.uams.edu/gme/resident/res_handbook.asp . 

         4. The receiving Program Director should contact the Associate Dean for Housestaff Affairs to discuss/assure
               funding. This information will be required for GMEC review during the approval and verification process.

 5. See Transfer Approval and Verification section below.

1.  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. 

1. The GMEC will review credentials for transfer residents before appointment.

2. The receiving Program Director will forward all information for the credential review to the GME Director (Mrs. Norwood) by the first Monday of the month.

 3. The GMEC credential review will include:

·       financing for the position:

o      source of stipend/benefits, and

o      remaining Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) funding on the resident’s initial residency
                             period (IRP),

·       the written acknowledgement about the transfer from the current Program Director,

·       the resident’s reason for changing programs,

·       a minimum of the previous 6 months’ competency-based clinical evaluations, or summative competency-
                          based performance evaluation,

·       verification of completed educational experiences,

·       case logs if applicable,

·       other documentation to verify that the trainee meets comparable level of program’s current trainees.

            4. The GMEC may disallow transfers.

5. For residents entering a PGY 2 program directly from the preliminary year, the credential review will occur at the program level.  That review includes: verification of previous educational experiences and a summative competency-based performance evaluation.