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Tip of the week: Know the ins and outs of resident contracts

Residency Program Connection, January 27, 2009

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With Match Day just a month away, it is time for program coordinators and directors to think about all of the paperwork and information they will need to distribute to incoming residents. One of the most important documents is the resident contract.

Although most institutions have an attorney to draw up the contract, directors and coordinators should be knowledgeable about the contents of the document.

All contracts should be valid for one year and should list the responsibilities of the institution and obligations of the resident. Items to include and review in a resident’s contract are:

• Resident responsibilities
• Length of employment
• Terms for renewal
• Terms for nonrenewal: If you decide not to reappoint or promote a resident, the ACGME requires you to inform the resident of the decision in writing no later than four months before the end of his or her contract.
• Grievance procedures: The contract should make residents aware of your institution’s grievance procedures, which address work environment issues. You should provide residents with a copy of the procedures
• No non-compete clauses: Although attending physicians in some institutions do have non-compete clauses in their contract, a sponsoring institution cannot require a resident to sign a contract with a non-compete clause

This week’s tip is an excerpt from The Residency Program Director’s Handbook, by Robert V. Higgins, MD., published by HCPro, Inc.

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