Time-Off Guidelines

*By ACGME and ABIM policy, you are allowed a total of 20 days off per academic year (this includes interview time, vacation time, and sick time exceeding 4 days); unused time-off can not be carried over to the following year (i.e. you must use your annual allotment of 20 days).  Anytime beyond 20 days must be made up (i.e. training time must be extended which means that your residency end date will be after June 30th of your final year; extending your training means that your fellowship or employment start date will be delayed beyond July 1st) in order for you to be eligible for the ABIM Certifying Exam.  There are no exceptions to this rule.

Incoming PGY-2s and PGY-3s will be required to submit in advance of the academic year all planned days off based on their schedules; these days can only be while on an elective.  However, changes may be allowed based on the below descriptions; all changes require approval of the Educational Programs Office.  Incoming PGY-1s will have vacation time assigned to them in advance of the academic year; these can only be changed with approval of the Educational Programs Office. 

*Please note that while we fully support the Family Medical Leave Act, any time taken beyond the allotted 20 days per year must be made up in order to be eligible for the ABIM Certifying Exam.  This will require extending your training time. 

*All time off, regardless of reason, requires prior approval from EPO.

*Vacation requests are on a first come, first serve basis.

PGY-2s and PGY-3s – No more than 10 off total at any one time

1. Vacation Days – you must find your own coverage (when needed)
1. If you want to take vacation time while on a required or elective/research service and your vacation time will involve canceling continuity clinic, you must submit your request 60 days in advance (UHCC and VA Clinic policy).
2. If you want to take vacation time while on a required or elective/research service and your vacation time does not involve canceling continuity clinic, you must submit your request 7 days in advance.
3. If your vacation time will conflict with pre-assigned jeopardy time, you must find jeopardy coverage.
4. Weekend days count as time off if you had required weekend duties (i.e. call or jeopardy). 
2. Interview Days – EPO will provide and contact coverage for you
1. 1 full day off = 1 day off (i.e. as long as you work for part of a day, the day will not be counted as one of the allotted 20 days off).
2. Please see Residency Handbook regarding requirements for an Interview request. 
3. Days off for this purpose will decrease vacation time.
3. Unfit Days – EPO will provide coverage for you, but you may need to notify coverage
1. The Chief Residents should be contacted by phone at least 2 hours prior to the start of work; failure to do so may require that you come into work until coverage can be provided. 
2. This does not count towards time off.
3. Unfit days exceeding three (3) consecutive days must be accompanied by a physician’s note documenting the needed time off. 
4. Unfit Days exceeding 4 work days in an academic year may require extending your training time (however, you can choose to use vacation time to avoid this possibility). 
4. Approved Conference/ACLS/USMLE Exam Days
1. USMLE exams can’t be taken during required service time (floors, units, admitters, night rotations, med consult, CC weeks); exams can be taken during elective/research time only.
2. For EPO-approved National Conferences, EPO will provide coverage for the entire meeting and travel time.
3. For all other EPO-approved conferences (i.e. regional), EPO will provide coverage for the day of presentation and travel time; other days of the meeting are not allowed.
PGY-1s – No more than 5 off total at any one time
1. Vacation Days
2. Selected in blocks (one 4-week block or two 2-week blocks) prior to beginning of academic year.
3. Requests for changes must be made 60 days in advance; please note there is no guarantee this will be approved. 
4. Vacation starts on the Wednesday of the vacation block, not the weekend or Monday/Tuesday prior.
• Interview Days – EPO will provide and contact coverage for you
1. See above under “PGY-2s and PGY-3s”.
• Unfit Days – EPO will provide coverage for you, but you may need to notify coverage
1. See above under “PGY-2s and PGY-3s”.
• Approved Conference/ACLS/USMLE Exam Days
• See above under “PGY-2s and PGY-3s”.