Vacation/Travel Regulations
Vacation - Each resident is allowed three weeks (21 days, including weekends) of yearly vacation. Residents may take vacation on any rotation except night float, but no more than one week of vacation is allowed on any one rotation. Vacation is spread throughout the year. Vacation is not allowed during the last two weeks in June, the month of July, the week of Masters or Thanksgiving week. Residents are given several days off during the Christmas and/or New Years holidays. Work missed due to illness will not be counted as vacation.
Conference travel - Residents presenting an oral presentation will be approved for two nights travel (suggested the day before and the day of the presentation, departing the following morning) plus airfare and per diem.
Chief travel - Chief residents are permitted to attend one entire conference, not to exceed a cost of $2,000 total. Chief residents are permitted to attend a post graduate course at the American College of Surgeons, but the department will not reimburse more than a total of $2,000 for the entire meeting.
Call Schedule
We use a night float team for all surgery services within the Department of Surgery. Night float is available Sunday through Friday evenings from 6:00pm to 6:00am. Each resident takes call approximately two weekend days per month, including one Saturday 24-hour, in-house call. During the intern year, each department generates outside rotation call schedules. Click here to view the section of General Surgery resident call schedules.
In-Service Examination
The in-service examination takes place the last Saturday in January. Every categorical resident must take this exam. Residents are not allowed to take vacation or that weekend off. The department requires a score of 20th percentile. Failure to make 20th percentile will result in enrollment in a remediation program for one year. Failure to make 20th percentile for two years in a row is grounds for dismissal.
Performance Review by Faculty
Semi-annual review - The program director reviews each resident's performance semi-annually at a scheduled
faculty meeting.
Evaluation forms - 360� evaluations are completed in electronic format on residents, faculty and rotations.
Resident academic file - All pertinent information gathered on a resident is filed and reviewed semi-annually.
Inadequate performance - The section chief or program director discusses substandard performance issues
raised at the departmental faculty meetings with the subject resident within one calendar
week following the meeting. A written report will become part of the permanent file;
the resident receives a copy. Progress reports on inadequate performance are an automatic
item on the agenda at the next scheduled Performance Review Meeting.
Deficiencies needing immediate action - The program director has individual meetings with the residents to review deficiencies
that require immediate attention. A written summary and recommendation of the meeting
becomes part of the file.
Annual performance review - A faculty meeting takes place for annual performance review, with the faculty making
recommendations for reappointment based on information in the folder.
Disciplinary Actions
Probation: Based on monthly reviews and/or information, the faculty may recommend that a resident be placed on probation for a specific number of months. Such cases are reviewed each month, or as necessary.
Loss of credit: Based on monthly or annual reviews and/or results on the In-Training Examination (below 20th percentile), the faculty may recommend that the resident lose credit for the year on the service or portion thereof.
Residents found guilty of items listed in the employee handbook may be discharged for cause or placed on leave without pay status pending completion of any required investigation. Inadequate performances reported in performance reviews can result in a resident being placed on probation, dismissed from the service or terminated in mid-contract. The annual review of performance can result in non-reappointment of a resident to the house staff.
Supervision
Policies of the supervision of residents are published. Each patient is assigned an attending. Attendings are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all patients. Patients are seen within 24 hours of admission or sooner if necessary by the attending. Attendings are notified of all urgent and emergent admissions and of significant changes in a patient's status. Daily rounds are required. Presence of the attending surgeon in the operating room and on the wards is documented by the hospital information system and is in compliance with IL 372.
Junior house officers provide most of the pre- and post- operative care under the direction of chief residents who, in turn, report to the attendings. Close supervision is maintained by daily attending rounds. All critical decisions by junior house officers are cleared through the chief resident or the attending surgeon. The chiefs, in turn, consult the attendings on most major decisions.
Medical Records
All medical records are updated once a week. All dictations must be done immediately after surgery or at the time of discharge. Staff notes must have a date and time. As stated in the physicians contract, charts that are 30 days delinquent will cause the individual's paycheck to be held until completion.
Time Sheets
Time sheets are completed online daily using ONE45.com.
Research
The program encourages research and presentation of work, either scientific or clinical in nature. The department pays travel and meeting expenses if the resident is presenting an abstract or poster. International meetings require special approval.
ACGME Operative Case Log
Residents are required to maintain an accurate and current log of all operative cases
in which they participate. This internet-based system can be accessed at any department
computer or at home. It is the resident's responsibility to keep up with his or her
cases.
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