Guidelines for resident agreements or contracts

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires insitutions to provide a written agreement or contract outlining the terms and conditions of their appointment to residency training. You should go over this document thoroughly, as this agreement governs your rights and responsibilities as a resident/fellow physician. Although you are expected to read and understand every section of the contract, the following provisions should receive your special attention:

• Duration of appointment, conditions for reappointment (and renewal requirements), and conditions for termination;
• Financial support and benefits, including details of liability insurance;
• Information on personal leave (with or without pay) that complies with federal and state laws;
• The resident's responsibilities, including keeping charts, records, and reports up to date and signed at all times, and obtaining a state license or educational permit, if required;
• Detail on methods used to evaluate performance;
• Policies and procedures for discipline and redress of grievances, including sexual harassment; and
• Resident off-duty activities and restrictions on work outside residency.

AMA efforts to improve resident lifestyle

The AMA and AMA-RFS have worked diligently over the past several years to ensure that resident agreements are fair and equitable for resident physicians, who make up a substantial part of the hospital medical team and workforce. For example, recently passed AMA policy advocated for resident benefits to commence on the first day of orientation and in 2007, ACGME institutional requirements were updated to reflect this change. If you believe that your residency program may not be in compliance with ACGME requirements, read the appropriate section in the ACGME Institutional Requirements (PDF, 52KB).

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Tools and resources for residency agreements

Sample Departmental Acceptance Letter

Contract Guidelines

Sample Resident Contract

Sample Statement of Resident Responsibilities

Restrictive Covenants

AMA Policy H-310.999: Guidelines for Housestaff Contracts or Agreements

Please note: The AMA recommends that you consult an attorney who specializes in physician contracts with any questions or concerns you have regarding your resident agreement.