UNM HSC School of Medicine

Undergraduate Medical Education

Medical Student Required Research

Research Travel Reimbursement

 

1.   Paperwork To Fill Out Before You Go
 a.      Request to Travel for Research Presentation with Reimbursement

·         All students must request authorization from Undergraduate Medical Education (send e-mail to rlindley@salud.unm.edu) to be reimbursed for travel expenses.  An estimate of expenses must accompany the request.  Only one trip per student per year will be approved.

b.      Excuse Letters

·         SOM students may be excused a maximum of three days absence for presenting at conferences (day before, day of, and day after presentation) with permission from their block or rotation director.

·         Letters to block or rotation directors will be provided by UME to assist you in securing excused time off for the conference.  You will need to give UME the department and the person’s name to whom the excuse letter should be addressed.  This information must be received three months prior to the travel date.

·         Approval in writing from the block or rotation director will be required before travel reservations will be made by UME.

c.       Graduate Research, Project and Travel (RPT) Grant Form

·         You must apply for this grant and file a copy of it with the Undergraduate Medical Education Office.

·         Deadlines for RPT Grant application submission are September 14 for travel August 15-December 15; January 25 for travel January 1-May 15; and June 1 for travel May 16-August 14.

·         If you are awarded this grant, you may be awarded enough money to cover your travel expenses. This is money from the Office of Graduate Studies on the Main UNM campus. The maximum award is $1000.

·         This is the website for the RPT grant:  http://www.unm.edu/~grad/funding/rpt.html

d.      Request funding for travel from your research mentor or his/her department.

e.      If you don’t receive the RPT grant or funding from your mentor, you can submit a reimbursement form to UME after you return from your trip. The maximum amount reimbursed is $750 and is only given for domestic travel.

f.        Registration for the conference

·         This fee will be reimbursed to you as part of the $750 allowance or can be purchased by UME in advance; contact the UME Office for assistance.

2.   Transportation

a.      Airplane tickets

·         Look for internet specials, particularly Southwest.
1.       Website to be put on their e-mail list: http://www.southwest.com/email/
2.       Other airlines will have reduced fares on StudentUniverse.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, or Orbtiz.com

·         UME will also fly students to and from meeting locations with destinations other than Albuquerque if they are interviewing just prior to and/or after the presentation meeting.

·         Your airline ticket can be purchased by UME in advance rather than by you; contact the UME Office for assistance.

·         Any ticket change fees will be the responsibility of the student and will not be reimbursed.

 b.      Rental car

·         UME will not pay for students to have their own rental car or for convertibles.  Share rental cars with other students (minimum of 2 students per rental required).

·         Compact and economy cars for small groups are recommended.

·         Upgrades are acceptable for groups of 5 or more sharing transportation.

·         Keep gasoline receipts for reimbursement.  Rental cars should have the gas tank full when the car is returned.

·         Use coupons when available for a lower rental rate.

·         UNM Corporate pricing with National Rent-A-Car Systems, Inc.  When cars are rented using the UNM corporate rate, Loss and Damage Insurance is included in the rate and you will be covered under this policy.  Students do not need to add insurance at the time the cars are picked up.

·         Most private automobile insurance will cover rental cars; check your policy or ask your agent.  Rental car agency insurance coverage will not be reimbursed.

c.       Ground Transportation (taxi and shuttle)

·         If you use a taxi or shuttle as your ground transportation, keep receipts for reimbursement of expenses (as part of the $750 allowance).

3.   Food and Lodging

Food and lodging will be reimbursed on a per diem rate for the city in which your meeting is held.  The per diem rates are set by the US General Services Administration and are determined by the time of day your flight leaves and arrives back in Albuquerque.  It is suggested that hotel rooms be shared to cut your lodging expense to a lower portion of the per diem rate.  Itemized food or hotel receipts are not required for reimbursement.

4.   Paperwork to Fill Out When You Return

a.       UNM policy requires travelers to submit the following documents within five working days of their return from the meeting/conference. 

·         Registration receipt for meeting

·         Airline ticket stub showing price and itinerary (even if purchased by UME)

·         Rental car and gasoline receipts (if applicable)

·         Ground transportation receipts (if applicable)

b.      You will be notified when your Travel Voucher is ready for signature.