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Benefits

The Basics for 2006-2007

Catagory

Benefit

Professional Liability Insurance (Malpractice)

Professional liability insurance is provided by the University's insurance program for activities that are required to complete an ACGME-approved program of medical education. The same policy also covers Strong Health moonlighting activities. During rotations to other hospitals, coverage is provided by the affiliated hospital. The coverage form is claims-made and is modified to include "Tail" Coverage.

Health Care Plans

Effective the first day of the month following appointment (typically July 1), or the date of appointment if it falls on the first of the month. Choice of 4 plans that provide hospital, surgical and medical coverage; two of the plans are available in a No Referral Option.

Dental Assistance Plan

Traditional Dental Assistance Plan is available upon appointment (typically July 1). Assists with preventive, as well as basic and major restorative dental expenses. Medallion Dental Plan is offered during Open Enrollment period for coverage effective January 1. This plan provides a higher schedule of benefits; trainees contribute a share of the premium.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Allows trainees to put aside money tax-free to cover eligible out-of-pocket medical/dental or dependent care expenses.

University-paid Basic Term Life Insurance

Coverage equal to 150% of annual salary, with minimum of $15,000 ($7,500 if part-time) and maximum of $50,000 ($25,000 if part-time). Paid for by the University.

Group Universal Life (GUL) Insurance

May enroll for GUL coverage of 1 to 6 times annual salary, up to a maximum of $1,000,000 immediately upon appointment. Paid for by the trainee.

Sick Leave Plan for Short-Term Disability

Full salary is continued during sick leave for up to the full period of the one-year appointment or according to the University's schedule under the Sick Leave Plan for Short-Term Disability, whichever provides the greater benefit.

Long-Term Disability (LTD) Plan

When totally disabled for more than six months, guarantees 60% of covered salary up to $15,000 (or $9,000) per year. Paid for by the University for full-time trainees. Under this LTD Plan, may elect additional coverage, at a cost to the trainee, which would guarantee 60% of full salary per year. (Part-time trainees responsible for total premium.)

Supplemental Disability Insurance

The Medical Center has entered into an agreement with Provident Life & Accident Insurance to provide individual, non-cancelable (on the part of the insurance company), and guaranteed renewable supplemental disability income to all trainees based on unisex rates and a 30% premium discount. Policy provisions include coverage for total disability, partial disability and the right to increase coverage without providing evidence of medical insurability. The program is fully portable and is paid for by the trainee.

Vacation

Trainees receive at least three weeks of vacation per year. Additional vacation time and/or time for attendance at scientific or medical meetings may be allowed at the discretion of the Department.

Retirement Program

Trainees are immediately eligible to make voluntary tax-deferred contributions to TIAA-CREF and/or Mutual Funds (T. Rowe Price, Vanguard and Fidelity), but are not eligible to receive a University Direct Contribution

Tuition Benefits for Self

Eligible upon appointment for tuition waiver at the U of R for up to 2 credit courses in each relevant period (e.g., semester or summer).

Tuition Benefits for Spouse

Eligible upon appointment for tuition waiver at the U of R for 1 course in each relevant period at 50%.

Leave of Absence

Trainees may be eligible for Family Medical Leave Act or the University's Leave of Absence program. Detailed information is available in the Resident Manual which is available on the GME web site.

Effect of Leave on Training

Any Leave of Absence, Short-Term Disability or other time off which results in the trainee's failure to meet the minimum requirements for training time set forth by the appropriate board will result in an extension of the trainee's training program.

Lab Coats

Three lab coats are provided to new trainee at orientation. Three lab coats are provided each year to continuing trainees in January/February.

Athletic Facilities

All employees of Strong Memorial Hospital are eligible to join the Medical Center's Fitness & Wellness Center, or the Robert B. Goergen Athletic Center on River Campus.

Credit Union

Employment by the University entitles you to become a member of the Advantage Federal Credit Union.

Short Term Loans

The Office for Graduate Medical Education can assist you in securing a short term, interest-free loan of up to $500, as available.

Life Support Training

Strong Memorial Hospital will pay for trainee training in BLS, ACLS, ATLS, NRP, or PALS as deemed necessary by the program.

Vacation and Time-Off

imagePGY-1 residents are entitled to 3 weeks of vacation per year. PGY 2-5 residents are entitled to four (4) weeks vacation a year (includes shoulder weekends). The resident’s total time away for vacation and meetings may not exceed (4) weeks in any academic year (July 1 – June 30) unless a paper is being presented, in which case the total time away may not exceed (5) weeks in any single academic year. Time spent interviewing for jobs and/or fellowships is not counted as vacation time.

Sports Medicine

A unique feature of the orthopaedics program is the opportunity for residents to provide on-field physician coverage to local sports teams. Only residents within the appropriate work hours for the week are allowed to participate. When residents provide game coverage, $100 is deposited into a personal account. The account can only be used to purchase educational items. Some examples: textbooks, course tuition fees, licensing fees, or funds to travel to conferences or interviews.

Textbooks

Each resident gets an orthopaedic library at department expense. The books provided:

  • Browner and Jupiter - Skeletal Trauma
  • Lovell and Winter - Pediatric Orthopaedics
  • Hoppenfeld's Surgical Approaches to Orthopaedics
  • AAOS - Orthopaedic Basic Science
  • AAOS - Orthopaedic Knowledge Update 8
  • McCarthy/Frassica - Pathology of Bone and Joint Disorders with Clinical Correlation
  • Green: Hand Surgery
  • AAOS Orthopaedic Knowledge Update: Hip and Knee Reconstruction
  • AAOS Orthopaedic Knowledge Update: Spine
  • AAOS Orthopaedic Knowledge Update: Foot and Ankle
  • Campbells Operative Orthopaedics

Library and Journal Resources

Residents have access to the Edward G. Miner Library at the Medical Center. It offers borrowing services, self-service copying, document delivery services, access to rare books and manuscripts, classes, reference desk services, computing services and more.

In addition, the Department of Orthopaedics maintains the R. Plato Schwartz Resident Library. It provides residents 24-hour access to computers, along with current textbooks and journals. 00

For the duration of the program, each resident gets a free personal subscription to the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. In addition, the department provides a $750 stipend towards the purchase of surgical loupes.

Meals

Housestaff on-call overnight are entitled to a meal allowance in the hospital cafeteria.

Vacations/Orthopaedics

PGY-1 residents are entitled to three weeks of vacation a year. Residents in PGY-2 through PGY-5 are entitled to four weeks vacation a year.

The resident's total time away for vacation and meetings may not exceed four weeks in any academic year (July 1 to June 30), unless a paper is being presented. In that case, the total time away still cannot exceed five weeks in any single academic year.

Time spent interviewing for jobs or fellowships is not counted as vacation time.