SIU Leave of Absence Standard

Scope 

This standard was developed for SIU Medicine. SIU Medicine collectively applies to the SIU School of Medicine (SIU SOM), including the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and SIU HealthCare (SIU HC). These entities are collectively referred to as SIU in this document.

This document applies to SIU staff, faculty, trainees, agents, officers, directors, interns, volunteers, contractors, and any other individual or entity engaged in providing teaching, research and health care items and services at SIU. These individuals are collectively referred to as SIU personnel in this document.

Definitions

Purpose

Procedure

This protocol has been developed in accordance with the GMEC Leaves of Absence Policy.  The term “resident” is inclusive of all trainees at SIU School of Medicine, whether training in a residency or fellowship program.  Each program must establish a program specific leave policy that contains all of the elements described below.

Elements of the program policy must include:

1. A specific reference to the Institutional Leaves of Absence Policy or a program can choose to embed the institutional policy. There must be a specific statement that the program follows the institutional policy within the first paragraph.  
2. A description of how the program specific policy is made available for review by residents at all times (IR 4.8.f.).
3. Details of how the program ensures that its residents are provided with accurate information regarding the impact of an extended leave of absence upon the criteria for satisfactory completion of the program and upon a resident’s eligibility to participate in examinations by the relevant certifying board(s) (IR 4.8.g.).
4. A description of the program’s process for submitting and approving resident requests for leaves of absence (IR 4.8.e.).  It must include the program’s internal steps of requesting time off and a leave of absence, as well as the steps for institutional approval for absences that are more than a two-week equivalent (outlined below). For absences equivalent to more than two weeks:
   1. The program will work with the resident to complete the GME Leave of Absence Request Form.  The resident and program director must initial and sign the form and the program coordinator will send it electronically to the GME Director (DGME).
   2. Upon review, if the request is not for Parental, Caregiver, or Medical Leave (PCML), the DGME will sign the request and email it back to the program coordinator.  
   3. If the request is for PCML, the DGME will fill out the OGME PCML Worksheet to reflect the utilization of leave time, sign, and send it back to the program for review.  If in agreement with the utilization plan, the resident and program representative need to sign the Worksheet and send it back to the DGME.  When the start date of the PCML is confirmed (i.e. upon arrival of baby, start of medical leave, etc.), the DGME will finalize the Worksheet (blue sections), place the final copy in the resident file, send a copy back to the program for their records, and notify the employing hospital via the appropriate GME distribution group for stipend notifications and leaves of absence.  Of note, for affiliate programs the program coordinator may handle notification to the employing hospital when necessary.