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Each ACGME program will provide trainees with a written policy in compliance with its Program Requirements concerning the effect of leaves of absence, for any reason, on satisfying the criteria for completion of the residency program, and information relating to access to eligibility for certification by the relevant certifying board.
Contracts for Houseofficers are awarded annually and do not extend beyond an academic year. Houseofficers who begin a training program at the University of New Mexico may reasonably expect to complete their training at this institution provided their academic progress and performance is satisfactory, moral and ethical behavior is appropriate, and funds are available.
Consensual Relationships in Medical Education
Interactions between teachers/evaluators and learners in medical education programs sponsored by the University of New Mexico School of Medicine are guided by mutual trust, confidence, and professional ethics. Professional teacher/learner relationships have a power differential between the teacher and the learner; personal relationships between those who teach and evaluate and those who learn carry a number of risks: conflict of interest, breach of trust, abuse of power, perception of favoritism, and breach of professional ethics. When any of these occur, there is disruption of the dynamics of the health care team, with consequent potential loss of quality patient care and medical education.
Those interactions with power differential include, but are not limited to faculty/student, faculty/resident, faculty/fellow, fellow/resident, supervising resident/subordinate resident, resident/student.
For the purpose of this policy, those in the position of greater power will be termed "teacher" and those who are in the position of lesser power will be termed "learner".
A. Definitions
1. Faculty, for the purposes of this policy only, are defined as full or part-time faculty and all other personnel who evaluate resident/fellow performance. 2. Residents/fellows are all full time or part time residents/fellows. 3. Medical Student refers to any student enrolled in a course approved by the School of Medicine. 4. A consensual relationship is any dating, romantic, sexual, or marriage relationship. 5. Position of authority includes situations in which the teacher is responsible for an evaluation of the performance of a learner.
B. Policy Teachers shall not engage in consensual relationships with learners whenever the teacher has professional "position of authority" with respect to learner matters which involve teaching or evaluation of learner's performance, as part of the medical education program.
Should a consensual relationship develop, or appear likely to develop, while the teacher is in a position of authority, the teacher and/or the learner shall terminate the position of authority. Even when the teacher has no professional responsibility for a learner, the teacher should be sensitive to the perceptions of other learners, that a learner who has a consensual relationship with a teacher may receive preferential treatment from the teacher or the teacher's colleagues. This policy will apply to relationships between teachers and learners during residency rotations/experiences in which the performance of the resident/fellow as part of their approved curriculum is being evaluated, and during all graduate medical education rotations/experiences.
C. Procedures When a consensual relationship, as defined above, exists or develops, the teacher should avoid or terminate his/her position of authority with respect to the learner. Avoidance or termination includes, but is not limited to, the evaluation being performed by another qualified teacher; the position of authority being assumed by an alternative teacher; transfer of the learner to another rotation etc.
D. Non-Compliance with Policy Any credible allegation of a teacher's failure to avoid or terminate a position of authority with regard to a learner while in a consensual relationship obligates the department chair, program director or other responsible person to conduct a prompt and thorough inquiry to determine whether the allegation is true. Where it is concluded that a position of authority in a consensual relationship exists and the involved person refuses to terminate the position of authority, the department chair or program director shall terminate the position of authority and can impose sanctions against parties involved.
E. Sanctions Persons in violation of this policy shall be subject to sanctions ranging from verbal warnings to dismissal or termination. Persons who knowingly make false allegations that consensual relationship overlaps with a position of authority shall be subject to the same sanctions.
In the event of a termination, transfer, or reduction in size of a residency program
UNM will follow all ACGME guidelines and assist in placing affected Houseofficers in other
accredited residency programs of the same specialty. The sponsoring institution will inform
the GMEC, DIO, and the Residents as soon as possible and residents as soon as possible
when a reduction in size or closure occurs. In addition, at the time UNM informs residents
of a termination, transfer, or reduction of residency program, UNM shall
provide resources including but not limited to contact names, addresses, and phone
numbers which may be helpful in a Houseofficer's search for placement. In such event,
UNM shall continue to pay the salaries of displaced Houseofficer for the remainder of the
residency year or until said Houseofficers are placed in other salaried and accredited
residency programs at another facility if such placement is within the residency year.
For Houseofficer continuing in a program for which accreditation is lost, UNM will maintain
levels of training, continue to provide rotations required for certification, and add ancillary
and professional staff to cover losses in Houseofficer coverage. UNM shall take reasonable steps
to try to gain full accreditation for the program, to encourage Houseofficers to remain in the
program, and to balance the service needs of the department with the professional goals
of the Houseofficer involved.
Drug screening (pre-rotation) is required at some hospitals under affiliation agreements with UNM HSC. Compliance is mandatory for those rotations. Forms and information can be obtained through the GME Office. Program Directors may have the option of modifying a Houseofficer's schedule; however in the event the Department feels it is a mandatory experience, failure to comply may result in the withdrawal of employment offer or termination. Drug screens are coordinated by GME and results of the testing are retained by GME and not disclosed to affiliated institutions unless required by law.
Houseofficers are required to fully participate in the teaching programs and in the educational activities of their individual departments under the guidance and direction of the Department Chairman, Program Director and the Chief of Service to which they are assigned. Houseofficers should develop a personal program of learning to foster professional growth under guidance of teaching staff, participate in institutional and departmental committees which affect their education and patient care, and participate in educational activities developed and supported by the institution.
To be eligible for a training position a physician must be a graduate of an LCME accredited medical school in the United States or Canada or an AOA accredited osteopathic school in the United States. Graduates of international medical schools must hold a currently valid ECFMG certificate, or possess a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the state of New Mexico, or have completed a Fifth Pathway program in an LCME accredited medical school. Physicians who are not U.S. citizens must have a valid work permit or a J-1 visa. All J-1 Visas are sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. This requirement is consistent with the AAMC guidelines for Graduate Medical Education programs. Eligibility for training at UNM does not guarantee future eligibility for granting of an unrestricted professional license by the New Mexico Medical Board.
University standard and federal law requires all Houseofficers to be investigated through the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Investigator General (OIG) and Government Services Administration (GSA). The OIG and the GSA have the authority to exclude individuals and businesses who have engaged in fraud of Medicare, Medicaid, or other Federal health care programs from receiving payment or reimbursements from a Federal health care program. Federal programs include NIH, Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, Veteran Programs, and others. Cases for exclusion include: convictions for program related abuse, patient abuse, licensing board actions, and default on health education assistance loans.
Houseofficers must be eligible for employment as verified by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Government Services Administration (GSA). Individuals on the OIC/GSA Exclusion List will not be consider for hire. Once hired, periodical checks will be made for eligibility of continued employment. Houseofficers, who appear on the list after the initial hiring, will be excluded from the UNM HSC training programs. Houseofficers will have the right to the appeal process developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Investigator General.
The Office of Graduate Medical Education will be responsible for the initial check on OIG/GSA and EPLS databases. Thereafter, a periodic list of Houseofficers physicians will be provided to the HSC Compliance Office. The Houseofficers Physician Contract will include an acknowledgement by the Houseofficers that they have not been disqualified from the CMS list of physicians.
Fingerprinting for the purpose of background checks will be required of all Houseofficers
Physicians in accordance with New Mexico Medical Board(s). Failure to comply or receive clearance
for work from the New Mexico Medical Board(s) may result in the withdrawal of an employment offer
or the termination of employment. UNM GME reserves the right to consider information revealed from
background checks in making its hiring decisions, as allowed by law.
Residents who rotate to the VAMC will be subject to the fingerprinting process
for purposes of a federal criminal background check. Compliance is mandatory for
VAMC rotations.
Other information regarding background and current status may be required which is needed to
comply with University, state or federal regulations and/or contractual
agreements with affiliated institutions.
The institutional DEA number assigned to Houseofficers covers all training program activities. UNM HSC and VAMC Institutional DEA Numbers have separate prefixes and cannot be used interchangeably. For activities outside the training program (i.e., moonlighting) Houseofficers must secure an individual DEA number. Houseofficers, without a unrestricted professional license, should write prescriptions only for patients with a medical record and with a note to that record. Prescriptions for controlled substances may not be written for faculty members, family members, friends, or themselves with the institutional DEA number. Applications for individual DEA numbers are available from Locum Tenens 272-0110 or the Board of Pharmacy in Albuquerque (505) 222-9830.
The level of appointment within a training program is determined by the Program Director upon review of application’s relevant qualifications and the requirements of the Residency Review Committee, as well as, a request to the appropriate RRC or certifying board of the specialty of pursuit.
The New Mexico Medical Board, Osteopathic Board, or Dental Board issues a training license to Houseofficers to participate in residency programs. Application questions must be completed in a honest manner and disclosure of misdemeanors, DWI, and other criminal arrest must be declared. This Training License is issued by the Board with the expectation that all requirements of the New Mexico Practice Act related to professional behavior, care of patients, and assurance of competency are adhered to while in training. Due to commitment of the institution to train Houseofficers to practice in the State of New Mexico, candidates must be eligible for a full unrestricted license at the end of their training program. For Houseofficers in good standing, all training licenses are renewed annually by the Houseofficer for the duration of the program (not to exceed eight years).NMMB training license on line renewal process is located at http://www.nmmb.state.nm.us/. Houseofficers are expected to maintain the highest level of licensure once they obtain a public service or professesional license. For any activity outside the training program (i.e., Locum Tenens, moonlighting), you must have a New Mexico Public Service license, at a minimum, to practice medicine. The GME Office can request application packets for licensure on behalf of the Houseofficer.
In addition to training licenses, the NM Medical Board grants Public Service and unrestricted Professional licenses. An unrestricted license requires two years of graduate training completed in the United States to be eligible. A Public Service license is available to UNM Houseofficers after one year of graduate training and successful completion of USMLE Step III and with the written permission of their Program Director.
The New Mexico Board of Osteopathic Medicine requires Houseofficers to obtain professional licensure after completing one year of training. Applications can be obtained from the Osteopathic Board by calling (505) 476-4695.
The UNM Office of Graduate Medical Education functions as a human resource, payroll and benefits office for Houseofficers in the training programs (see rear cover for mail address and phone number).
UNM sponsored programs participate in the National Residency Matching Program and other specialty matches to fill their positions. The University is an Equal Opportunity employer and makes selections based on the preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity. Programs do not discriminate with regard to sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, ancestry, or any other applicable legally protected status or ACGME required status.
Residents and fellows who transfer to the University of New Mexico from another ACGME program must obtain a release from the program director at that institution. The Office of GME will assist in verifying prior training. In order to appoint the transferred trainee at the appropriate level, the program director at the University of New Mexico must obtain 1) a written verification of previous educational experiences and/or rotations, as well as, 2) a statement regarding performance in the program or copies of performance evaluations prior to the acceptance and appointment at UNM HSC. Trainees who transfer from the UNM HSC to another institution are responsible for providing that institution with verification of educational experiences or completed rotations and a statement regarding performance of the trainee in the program.
National Provider Identifiers are required of all houseofficers participating in training programs at UNM HSC. The on-line application is located at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/StaticForward.do?forward=static.instructions. After the number has been obtained by the Houseofficer, it must be on file with the Office of GME.
For physicians, GME requires Step II to be successfully completed by the end of the first year of training (HO I) and Step III to be successfully completed by the end of the second year of training (HO II). Completion of USMLE Step III shall be a requirement for successful completion of the HO II training year. Program Directors in each specialty are encouraged to monitor Houseofficers’ compliance; however, Houseofficers are responsible for ensuring that they have completed the USMLE requirements. Houseofficers who are not in compliance shall not be promoted to the next level of training. Houseofficers who join the training program and enter above the HO II level are required to have successfully completed USMLE Step III prior to acceptance into an UNM GME training program.
The New Mexico Medical Board allows UNM Houseofficers to take USMLE Step III at the end of their first year of training. The exam is administered by the Federation of State Medical Boards. Learning Centers. The New Mexico Medical Board allows the option for Houseofficers to apply for a NM Public Service license at the same time that they apply to take the exam. Applications for the examination can be obtained on line at www.fsmb.org or calling (817) 868-4041. To obtain a public service application you may FAX your request to the Board at (505) 476-7237. The New Mexico Medical Board requires Step III to be taken within seven years of passing Step II. GME will offer assistance with the forms upon request.
