Graduate Medical Education
MSC11 6093
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-5156

Phone: (505) 272-6225
Fax: (505) 272-5184

email

Graduate Medical Education

Program Administration
Institutional Policy on Granting Duty Hour Exceptions

The GMEC respects the institutional policy set forth by the ACGME and individual RRC policies regarding duty hours. Any variations from the RRC requirements for a specialty must be approved by the GMEC prior to submission to the ACGME. The following procedure will be used to evaluate requests from programs for a 10% increase in the 80 hour work week policy. Departments requesting an exception must have a favorable status from the ACGME, and be in good standing without a warning or adverse action. All requests will be reviewed by the GMEC. The ruling of the GMEC will be final. If an endorsement is adopted by the GMEC, it will be indicated by the signature of the Designated Institutional Official (Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education) on the request letter to the RRC.

Procedure:

  1. All requests for variance must be in writing to the GMEC and submitted by the program director thirty days prior to the GMEC meeting. The request should include:
    • Educational need or rationale
    • Justification of the addition of 8 hours per week averaged on a four week period
    • Any effect on patient safety
    • Any effect on resident fatigue (which included how it is monitored)
    • Level of training which is effected
    • Duration of the request (which will not exceed the period before the next RRC review)
    • Departmental Moonlighting policy
    • Proposed call schedule
  2. If the GMEC reaches a favorable decision the Department may petition the RRC.