Leave Policy

According to RRC Requirements, prior to entry into the program each resident must be notified in writing of the required length of training.  This length of training for a particular resident may not be changed without mutual agreement, unless there is an extended leave of absence from the program.

The maximum cumulative amount of time a resident may be away from the program for personal absences including vacation, sick and maternity leave during a single academic year without making up time should not exceed six (6) weeks per PGY year.  At the discretion of the Training Director, in consultation with the Residency Training Committee, absences beyond six (6) weeks may result in additional time being added to the projected date of residency completion.

The Residency Director must approve all time away (e.g. leave) from the Residency Program in writing.   The resident/fellow should make any leave requests to the Director as early as possible to allow flexibility in curriculum planning.

Vacation Leave

Vacation leave is earned each year in the amounts shown above and must be taken in the year of service (July to June).  Requests for vacation should be submitted at least sixty (60) days in advance and the earlier the better to allow flexibility in curriculum planning.

• No more than two (2) consecutive weeks of vacation will be granted unless approved by Residency Director.
• No more than five (5) days of vacation will be granted away from a required rotation that lasts in its entirety one month (this would currently apply to the Geropsychiatry and Day Hospital rotations).
• Vacation and conference leave will be administered to insure that there are at least two (2) G3 residents on service at any given time.

Any vacation time that is not used at the end of each academic year will be lost and will not be paid out.  No vacation is normally granted during the last two weeks of the academic year in June or the first two weeks of July and no two vacation periods may be consecutive (e.g., last month of G-2 year and first month of G-3 year in sequence).

Medicine, Pediatrics, Primary Care and Neurology leave policies (including vacation) will apply when a resident is assigned to one of those services.

A resident does not have the option of reducing the total time required for the residency by foregoing vacation time.

Sick Leave

Sick leave shall be granted upon request for up to 15 workdays per year.  Sick leave is not cumulative.  A request for such leave beyond 15 days may be authorized by the Head of the Department should it be in the best interest of the University, the program, and the medical fellow specialist.

Maternity/Paternity Leave

Maternity leave shall be granted upon request up to 42 consecutive days (6 weeks) PAID leave.  Fourteen consecutive days paid paternity leave will be granted upon request to the program director.  Adoption leave will be 2 weeks.  Paternity leave will be 2 weeks. (After using paid maternity/paternity leave/adoption leave and all unused vacation, any additional leave will be without pay and may be granted on an individual basis.)

Emergency Leave

Emergency leave or other absences may be authorized by arrangement with the Residency Director, should it be in the best interest of the University, the Program, and the medical fellow specialist.

Absence for Jury Duty and Court Leave

Absence for jury duty and court leave will be authorized, consistent with the requirements of the courts.

Military Leave

Military leave shall be granted upon request up to 15 workdays per academic year.

Examination and Conference Leave

Conference leave for examinations and leave for attendance at scientific or professional meetings may be authorized up to seven days per academic year by the Residency Director.

Policy on Effect of Leave for Satisfying Completion of Program

ACGME guidelines require 48 months of residency training in psychiatry.  In addition they stipulate that specific periods of time be spent engaged in specific clinical activities (e.g. two months full time equivalent in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry).  The duration of training can be extended to complete program requirements missed because of leave or failed for academic reasons.  In practice continuous leave for 12 weeks or less (not due to academic failure) has not extended the training period.  Continuous leave for more than 12 weeks would ordinarily extend the training period.