Administrative Policies

The academic titles Resident Physician I-IX and Resident Physician/Subspecialist IV-IX are assigned to individuals who are medical school graduates who have been awarded an MD or DO degree and are participating in the required number of years in a residency program accredited by the ACGME or ABMS.

Step assignment corresponds to the number of years of training acceptable for Board credit within the specialty. All trainees working at the same level must receive the same compensation. Additional training that is not required in the specialty does not result in a higher step or level of pay.

If there is more than one training path leading to Board certification in a subspecialty, all trainees at the entry level will receive the same compensation, at the higher step, regardless of the path selected.

Approved by GMEC: 3/6/06
Effective: 7/1/06

Disaster Policy

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR INVOLVING MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE STAFF

Confidential Report of Incident (PDF)

Follow-Up Meeting (PDF)

For purposes of this policy, this includes house staff in all departments including residents, fellows and those from other sponsoring institutions rotating through UCLA.

PURPOSE

To create and maintain an environment free from intimidating, disruptive, threatening and violent behavior.

POLICY

It is the expectation of the house staff that members behave in a courteous, cooperative and professional manner. Disruptive behavior including verbal or physical attacks; inappropriate comments; demeaning criticism; is not permitted and will be addressed by corrective action.

A. For the purposes of this Policy, "disruptive behavior" means any conduct of behavior including, but not limited to, use of language that is profane, vulgar, sexually suggestive or explicit, degrading, or racially/ethnically/religiously slurring in any professional setting related to the care of its patients; any unwanted touching, sexually-oriented or degrading jokes or comments; obscene gestures or physical throwing of objects; oral or written threats to a person or property, whether in person, over the telephone, by email or through other means of communication.

Also included are making inappropriate comments about each other or patients, which:

1. jeopardize or are inconsistent with quality patient care, or interfere with the ability of others to provide quality patient care or be involved with the educational program
2. are unethical; or
3. constitute the physical or verbal abuse of others involved with providing patient care, or educational instruction.

B. Disruptive behavior by members of the house staff, or refusal to cooperate with the procedures described in this Policy, may result in corrective action. This policy shall not preclude the application of necessary actions to ensure a safe working environment or to prevent unlawful conduct in the medical center. Individuals who violate this policy may be subject to corrective action up to and including dismissal.

C. Disruptive behavior occurs in varying degrees, which are classified into three levels of severity. Level I behavior is the most severe violation of this Policy. Any corrective action will be commensurate with the nature and severity of the disruptive behavior. Repeated instances of disruptive behavior will be considered cumulatively and action taken accordingly.

D. Classification of severity shall follow these guidelines:

Level I: Physical violence or other physical abuse including sexual harassment involving physical contact.

Level II: Verbal abuse such as unwarranted yelling, swearing, or cursing; threatening, humiliating, sexual or otherwise inappropriate comments directed at a person or persons, or physical violence or abuse directed in anger at an inanimate object.

Level III: Verbal abuse that is directed at-large, but has been reasonably perceived by a witness to be disruptive behavior as defined above.

 
E. The training programs and clinical services shall promote continuing awareness of this Policy among the house staff and the faculty, including the following efforts:

1. sponsoring or supporting educational programs on disruptive behavior to be offered to house staff members and faculty;
2. disseminating this Policy to all current members upon the adoption of the Policy and to all new members of the house staff upon joining the staff;
3. requiring that the Medical Staff Health Committee be available to assist a member of the house staff exhibiting disruptive behavior to obtain education, behavior modification, or other treatment to prevent further violations.

PROCEDURE

Complaints about a member of the house staff regarding alleged disruptive behavior must be in writing, signed, and directed to the trainee's Program Director (see Attachment A).

1. Level I: the Program Director or their designee, with the advice of legal counsel:

Interviews the complainant and, if possible, any witnesses within one working day of receiving the complaint and interviews the house staff member within one working day of receiving the complaint. He/she provides the trainee the opportunity to respond in writing. The Program Director, Department Chair or their designee does one or more of the following:

1. determines that no action is warranted
2. issues a warning
3. requires a written apology to the complainant
4. refers member to the Medical Staff Health Committee
5. initiates corrective action pursuant to the Housel Staff Policies and Procedures.

2. Level II: the Program Director, Department Chair or designee:

Interviews the complainant and, if possible, any witnesses within 5 working days of receiving the complaint and interviews the house staff member within 5 working days. He/she provides the member the opportunity to respond in writing. The Program Director, Department Chair or designee may:

1. determine that no action is warranted
2. issue a warning
3. require a written apology to the complainant
4. refer member to the Medical Staff Health Committee
5. initiate corrective action pursuant to the Medical Staff Bylaws

3. Level III: the Program Director, Department Chair or designee:

Interviews the complainant and, if possible, any witnesses within 10 working days of receiving the complaint. He/she provides the member the opportunity to respond in writing. The Program Director, Department Chair or designee may:

1. determine that no action is warranted.
2. issue a warning
3. require a written apology to the complainant
4. refer member to the Medical Staff Health Committee
5. initiate corrective action pursuant to the Medical Staff Bylaws.

 We, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, aim for excellence in all tenets of healthcare, including education, research, community engagement, and clinical care. We believe that the core values of diversity and inclusion are inseparable from our institutional goal. DGSOM leadership is committed to fostering an environment that celebrates the unique backgrounds, contributions, and opinions of each individual. Through fair and deliberate recruitment, hiring practices, promotions, admissions, and education, DGSOM will draw its talent from across the community and provide the highest quality of service to everyone we encounter. We believe in a system that supports outstanding faculty, fellows, residents, staff, and students with different perspectives and experiences.  By a process of continual reevaluation, reflection, and shared responsibility, we are unwavering in our dedication to equality, communication, and respect.

 
Reviewed and Approved by GMEC on January 28, 2013

Policy 

Duty Hours Policy 
ACGME has established a number of policies in regards to duty hours. These can be reviewed at the ACGME website. UCLA fully subscribes and is in compliance with all components of the duty hours, including total weekly hours, 24-hour limits (with six hours for education and transfer of care), frequency of call, days off, recognition of fatigue and need to relieve house officers of duty and/or modify schedules. The ACGME allows for programs to request and be granted up to a 10% increase in the total weekly maximum of 80 hours per week averaged over a 4-week period (rotation or block). Even with approval of extension beyond the 80 hours, the 3-night call maximum, 24-hour limit and one day off per week, must still be preserved. Additionally, it is assumed that extensions beyond the 80 hours per week will be infrequent, rotation specific, closely monitored for fatigue and based on educational needs. Approval of exemptions to policy will require the following:

Procedures 
Approval of exemptions to policy will require the following:

1. Application to the GMEC.
2. Approval of GMEC with dual request of Program and GMEC for Program's RRC.
3. Approval of Program RRC in writing.

Impaired Physician Policy

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) assesses the
readiness of IMGs to enter US residency or fellowship programs that are accredited by
the ACGME. ECFMG certification is one of the eligibility requirements to take Step 3 of
the USMLE, as well as to obtain a license to practice medicine in the U.S. Applicants
wishing to be certified by ECFMG must meet medical education credential requirements
and examination requirements, including USMLE Steps 1 and 2 (CS and CK).

Only the clinical J-1 visa sponsored by ECFMG is acceptable when applying to an
ACGME accredited training program at UCLA. H1B visas will be considered if the
applicant is a graduate from an LCME-accredited US or Canadian Medical School, or
from a college of osteopathic medicine in the US, accredited by the American
Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation
(AOACOCA).

For More Information and to view the complete policy:

Approved by the GMEC on 04/27/2020

LACTATION ACCOMMODATION FOR HOUSE STAFF

PURPOSE
UCLA Health System is committed to promoting a family-friendly work environment by providing programs and services to help house staff achieve success at work and in their personal lives. To that effect, employees and management are encouraged to be accepting of nursing mothers, and departments will provide a location and time to accommodate their lactation needs pursuant to state laws.

The law requires the UCLA Health System to provide nursing mothers a reasonable amount of time to express breast milk for their infant children. The hospital is also required to make reasonable efforts to provide appropriate private space to express milk that is in proximity to the work area.

PERSONNEL
This procedure covers all members of the UCLA house staff as it relates to accommodations for lactating mothers who have returned to the workforce.

PROCEDURE
1. A house officer who has a need for lactation accommodation should inform her chief resident or program director and discuss any relevant workload or scheduling issues.

2. Chief residents or program directors who receive a lactation accommodation request are advised to direct nursing mothers to the House Staff On Call Quarters located on the B level, RRUCLA. Private rooms which lock from the inside are available. There is a refrigerator in the adjacent House Staff Lounge for storing milk that is appropriately labeled.

3. UCLA Health System may refuse to accommodate a nursing mother only if its operations would be "seriously disrupted" by providing lactation time in accordance with applicable laws. Any intent to refuse accommodation by a chief resident or program director must be made on a case-by-case basis and must include prior consultation with their departmental Human Resources office.

4. Nursing mothers who feel they have been denied appropriate accommodation are encouraged to contact their departmental Human Resources Office.

Approved by GMEC: 2/23/09

Meal Card Policy

To strengthen institutional compliance practices with duty hour requirements, the following procedures have been implemented.

1. All training programs are required to monitor their residents' duty hours on each rotation.

2. The Program Director shall review the residents hours no less than quarterly. It is the responsibility of the Program Director to ensure compliance with duty hour requirements.

3. Resident duty hours must be logged on all rotations where compliance is a potential concern. The GMEC may mandate that residents log duty hours on specific rotations if concerns arise.

4. The Program Director shall provide a written report annually to the GMEC with the following components: 
- confirm the adequacy of resident compliance with logging duty hours
- identify all areas of non-compliance
- provide action plan for non-compliant areas
- report on implementation of corrective action and results achieved on previously identified areas of non-compliance 
The institution shall collate this information and make it available to Program Directors on an as-needed basis to facilitate remediation on any areas of non-compliance.

5. The GME Office will review the Program Director's annual report and the results of the ACGME online survey for duty hours. Written Program Director response on any noncompliant items will be required. The survey and the Program Director response will be reviewed at GMEC meetings and action will be mandated as appropriate.

Approved by GMEC: 9/12/06

The appointment of Program Directors for the ACGME accredited residencies and fellowships at UCLA have always rested with the department chairs. In compliance with ACGME policy, the GMEC must now review and approve, prior to submission to the ACGME, appointment of new program directors. At the same time, it is imperative that departments continue to select and support their residency and fellowship program directors. To comply with the requirement and meet the needs of the departments and their training programs, the GMEC has developed the following protocol for new program director appointments.

Procedure

The Chair of the Department should identify and recommend a candidate for the residency/fellowship director to the GMEC. The department chair may want to consult with the Designated Institutional Official (DIO) during the selection process. It is the responsibility of the department chair to review the program's ACGME Program Requirements to determine eligibility of the candidate. The chair should submit a completed New Program Director Appointment Letter to the GMEC, recommending the candidate for appointment.

The letter includes the following elements:

• Explanation/rationale for change in program director
• Candidate's qualifications, including their educational, clinical and faculty background
• Verification that candidate meets ACGME/RRC Program Director Qualifications
• Guarantee of departmental support for the program director's responsibilities, including: 
  • Staff support (program coordinator)
  • Salary support
  • Dedicated time to administer the program
• Request for documents:
  • Summary of Teaching Evaluations
  • Copy of candidate's Curriculum Vitae
  • New Program Director Attestation Form

The GMEC will review the New Program Director Appointment letter and associated documents at its next monthly meeting. If the candidate is endorsed, the DIO will prepare a letter for the joint signatures of the department chair and DIO. Only after the letter is signed and submitted to the ACGME, can the program coordinator update the program director information on the ACGME website.

Approved by the GMEC: 7/25/05

Process:

Step 1 - Complete the New Program Request and the Funding Documentation Template. Submit both forms to the GME Director for review by the Expansion Committee. All forms must be submitted 2 weeks prior to the scheduled committee meeting in order to be considered for review. Please contact the GME office for the date of the next Expansion Committee meeting.

Step 2 - The UCLA Expansion Committee reviews the overall rationale and financing/resources of the request. If approved by the committee, the request and supporting documentation is presented at the following GMEC meeting.

Step 3 - The UCLA GMEC assesses the educational content, impact and objectives of the request. If approved by the GMEC, applicants will be notified.

Step 4 - Programs may submit a request for the new program to the ACGME.

Requests to specific ACGME / RRC's must not be made until after approval by the Expansion Committee and the GMEC. No residents or fellows should be hired or made promises for positions until there has been approval by each group noted above.

GME Expansion Committee Submission and Meeting Dates

The University of California does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or status as a covered veteran. This policy applies to all employment practices, including recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, merit increase, salary, training and development, demotion, separation. This policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws and University policies.

Policy for Department Support of Residency and Fellowship Program Director

The ACGME Common Program Requirements state that a program must ensure that the Program Director has sufficient financial support and protected time for his or her educational and administrative responsibilities to the program.  (Common Program Requirements I.A.)

For specific specialties, the ACGME may require a defined percentage of financial support and protected time that the Department Chair must provide; however, in the absence of such requirement the Graduate Medical Education Committee has set the following guidelines:

• Program Directors must have a minimum of 20% protected time to fulfill the administrative and educational responsibilities of maintaining the residency or fellowship program (at least one full day per week).
• A minimum of 20% of the Program Director's base salary (the "X") must be guaranteed by the Department for the Program Director for the administrative responsibilities of directing the residency or fellowship program.

Approved by GMEC: 4/22/2013

Residency Reduction and Closure Policy

Introduction:

The UCLA Graduate Medical Education (GME) Office has a responsibility to ensure the quality of its GME training programs.  On occasion, business, training or related circumstances require closures and/or reductions in the size of a particular program that is in good standing with the ACGME.

ACGME Requirements:

• The Sponsoring Institution must inform the GMEC, DIO, and affected residents/fellows as soon as possible when it intends to reduce the size of or close one or more ACGME-accredited programs, or when the Sponsoring Institution intends to close.
• The Sponsoring Institution must allow residents/fellows already in an affected ACGME-accredited program (s) to complete their education at the Sponsoring Institution, or assist them in enrolling in (an)other ACGME-accredited program (s) in which they can continue their education.

Purpose:

This policy establishes guidelines for program reduction or closure and guidelines designed to ensure successful completion of training for affected residents/fellows, and ensure maintenance of and exemplary educational experience, in compliance with ACGME standards

Policy:

1. The DGSOM, in conjunction with Department Chairs, Program Directors and participating institutions, will make appropriate efforts to avoid program closure and avoid the reduction in size of ACGME accredited program.
2. The Vice Dean for Education and the DIO will follow all applicable ACGME guidelines regarding program reduction or closure.
3. All program directors must report to the DIO and the GMEC any proposed plans for a reduction in the size of a training program or the proposed closure of a training program. Such proposed changes will be discussed with the GMEC regarding the educational impact on that program as well as other associated programs. The GMEC will weigh the potential benefits of a change in program size against potential liabilities and may request justification and information on the projected impact of the proposed change.
4. Reduction in the size of existing classes may not be made without the approval of the Vice Dean for Education and the DIO.
5. Any reduction in the number of trainees will be designed to maintain a high standard of educational experience which complies with ACGME standards.
6. Should a residency program reduce the complement of residents for any reason, the hospital shall make a good faith effort to accomplish the reduction by accepting fewer house officers into the entry level of the program.
7. Trainees will be notified as soon as possible regarding any decision to either reduce the size of a training program or to close a program.
8. Any reduction or closure shall include provision for existing trainees to successfully complete their training or a plan by which UCLA will assist the trainees in enrolling in another ACGME accredited program in which they can continue their education in the same specialty at the appropriate PGY level.
9. The program director will inform applicants to the program of the reduced number of positions that will be available in the upcoming year.

Process:

Step 1 - Complete the Complement Increase Request Form and the Funding Documentation Template. Submit both forms to the GME Director for review by the Enrollment Committee. All forms must be submitted 2 weeks prior to the scheduled committee meeting in order to be considered for review. Please contact the GME office for the date of the next Enrollment Committee meeting.

Step 2 - The UCLA Enrollment Committee reviews the overall rationale and financing/resources of the request. If approved by the committee, the request and supporting documentation is presented at the following GMEC meeting.

Step 3 - The UCLA GMEC assesses the educational content, impact and objectives of the request. If approved by the GMEC, applicants will be notified.

Step 4 - Programs may submit a request for the new program to the ACGME.

Requests to specific ACGME / RRC's must not be made until after approval by the Enrollment Committee and the GMEC. No residents or fellows should be hired or made promises for positions until there has been approval by each group noted above.

GME Expansion Committee Submission and Meeting Dates

Restrictive covenants are prohibited for residents and fellows at UCLA. Housestaff are not, and will not, be required to sign non-compete agreements.

Sleep quarters are to be safe, comfortable and private (one person per room). Lavatory and shower facilities must be in close proximity to the sleep rooms. All house staff, faculty and medical students needing overnight sleep rooms are eligible to use the on call rooms located in either the main Resident Quarters on the B level or the on call rooms located on the floors throughout the hospital. The GME House Staff Office is responsible for the management of room allocations, in consultation with Hospital Administration. Utilization of beds will be reviewed at least annually, and re-assignments made as necessary.

Eligibility 

Eligibility/Priority Order for Sleep Rooms

• House staff scheduled overnight call
• Faculty required in-house overnight call
• House staff likely to stay in-house
• Medical students on Sub-internships
• Faculty likely to stay in-house
• House staff who might be called back to the hospital and are unable to return home
• Medical students on inpatient rotations
• Faculty who might be called back to the hospital and are unable to return home
• House staff or faculty who are post call and require a nap before going home

Ineligible for Rooms but In-House Overnight

• Physicians and others doing overnight call but on shift rotations are ineligible for sleep quarters (i.e. Emergency Medicine physicians, Nurse Practitioners, etc.)

Location

Centralized Resident Quarters on B Level (40 private rooms)
Blocks of rooms to be allocated by service based on scheduled in-house call.

Assignments

Assignments
Allocated beds are assigned on a scheduled basis by service according to the on call schedule.

Daytime Use
Rooms that are designated as hotelier are available from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for rest or naps for house staff and others who have been on call overnight

Allocation of Sleep Rooms Outside of Main Resident Quarters

• There must be a critical, time-sensitive need for close proximity to the patient related to patient acuity and management, OR
• There is a requirement by an accreditation body for juxtaposition of sleep quarters to the patient unit
• Clinical services which require on call rooms to be located in close proximity to specific patient care areas may be assigned sleep rooms either on a floor above or below the patient care area, if necessary.

Special Review Policy

Conflict of Interest and Vendor/Industry Guidelines