MUSC GME Resident Handbook

Home

Resident Handbook Introduction

Letter of Committment/
Accreditation Status Disclaimer

Administration & Governance - Graduate Medical Education Programs

Policies & Procedures

Salaries & Benefits

MUSC Policies

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

APPOINTMENT OF NEW RESIDENTS

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Each resident is appointed to a specific ACGME-approved position in the Program in which he/she has been accepted.

PROCEDURE

1. Each new program is required to submit a list to the Office of Graduate Medical Education that identifies the residents appointed for the academic year.
   
   
2. Each new resident is required to sign a "Resident Agreement" with the Office of Graduate
   Medical Education. This signature signifies acceptance of the appointment.
   
3. Each new resident must comply with the GMEC policy for USMLE Step 3 (or COMLEX equivalent) exam.
   
4. Each new resident must pass a drug screen test and satisfactorily complete a criminal background check (see MUSC Policy).

REAPPOINTMENT OF RESIDENTS

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Each Resident Agreement has a one-year term.  Residents can and should expect to complete their GME program providing they successfully complete the previous year's training requirements and they adhere to the program's and institution's established policies and procedures.

PROCEDURE

1. Residents are promoted each year on the basis of their clinical performance, as measured by the faculty's evaluations and other evaluation methods; by the recommendation of the department's GME or promotions committee, the Program Director and by final approval of the GMEC.
   
2. Each resident must comply with the GMEC policy for USMLE Step 3 (or COMLEX equivalent).
   
3. If a program director decides not to reappoint a resident, the resident will be notified by March 1st of the academic year.  If the cause for non-reappointment occurs after March 1st of the academic year, the program director will notify the resident about the non-renewal of the Resident Agreement as soon as circumstances will reasonably allow.  The resident may appeal a decision of the non-reappointment (see section on Grievance Procedure.).

POLICY for the USMLE STEP 3 EXAMINATION

Statement of Purpose:   This policy is designed to ensure all MUSC specialty and subspecialty residents complete all three (3) steps of the USMLE sequence as part of their graduate medical education.  It will also enable training programs to assess the general medical knowledge of their residents.

PROCEDURE:

1.  All PGY-1 residents are required to register for and take the USMLE Step 3 Exam (or the equivalent COMLEX Step 3 Exam) prior to completion of the PGY-1 year on June 30th.

2.  If a PGY-1 resident does not take the USMLE Step 3 examination (or COMLEX Step 3 Exam) during the PGY-1 year, the resident's MUSC Resident Agreement will NOT be renewed for the PGY-2 year.

3.  All PGY-1 residents must PASS the USMLE Step 3 Exam (or COMLEX Step 3 Exam) by the end of the PGY-2 year on June 30th.  If a resident does not pass the USMLE Step 3 Exam (or COMLEX Step 3 Exam) by the end of the PGY-2 year, the resident's MUSC Resident Agreement will NOT be renewed.

4.  If a resident enters MUSC at the PGY-2 level and has not passed the USMLE Step 3 Exam (or COMLEX Step 3 Exam), the resident must PASS the USMLE Step 3 Exam (or COMLEX Step 3 Exam) by the end of the PGY-2 year on June 30th.  If a resident does not pass the USMLE Step 3 Exam (or COMLEX Step 3 Exam) by the end of the PGY-2 year, the resident's MUSC Resident Agreement will NOT be renewed.

Note:  A resident's PGY-1 or PGY-2 year will NOT be extended to meet these requirements.

5.  All specialty and subspecialty residents accepted into MUSC GME programs at the PGY-3 level or above MUST have passed USMLE Step 3 Exam (or the equivalent COMLEX Step 3 Exam) BEFORE entering the residency program on July 1.

6.  Every resident is responsible for providing copies of the USMLE Step 3 Exam results (or COMLEX Step 3 Exam) to the program direcotr and the GME Office.

7.  The resident will be allowed two (2) days off from the program to take the USMLE (or COMLEX) exam.  These two days will NOT be counted as annual or sick leave.

8.  Exceptions to this policy will only be made by MUSC's Designated Institutional Official for GME, in consultation with the program director and department Chair, and only then in rare and unusual circumstances.