GME no longer paying for conference travel - is this a breach of contract?

[TheQuestion]

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Hello fellow SDN'ers,

I've created a throw away since my primary SN is not very anonymous after 7 years.

To the meat of the question. For "financial reasons" the office of GME has just cancelled all travel reimbursements for all conferences for the foreseeable future. One of the selling points for this program was having the opportunity to attend conferences with the support of the GME. This is just a long line of shortcomings that I have experienced in my program and if possible, I would like this to be the last. Would this be enough of an issue for me to call this a breach of contract and open me to transferring to another program (assuming I can find one that will accept a PGY-3)?

Thanks!
TQ

 

[gutonc]

Hello fellow SDN'ers,

I've created a throw away since my primary SN is not very anonymous after 7 years.

To the meat of the question. For "financial reasons" the office of GME has just cancelled all travel reimbursements for all conferences for the foreseeable future. One of the selling points for this program was having the opportunity to attend conferences with the support of the GME. This is just a long line of shortcomings that I have experienced in my program and if possible, I would like this to be the last. Would this be enough of an issue for me to call this a breach of contract and open me to transferring to another program (assuming I can find one that will accept a PGY-3)?

Thanks!
TQ

Was it spelled out in your contract? A lot of the time, that sort of thing isn't in the contract but a "gentleman's agreement". If they're at all smart, there's a clause in there that will give them an out. But you should at least look at your contract to see.

Since you didn't tell us what specialty (or how long your residency is which is the only relevant part of that question) it's hard to say if it's worth the trouble. But in general, the answer is going to be "no". Even if you're doing surgery (my guess) it will be hard to find a program that will take an R4 that doesn't have more problems than the one you're in now.

FWIW, my residency didn't pay for s&^t. No travel, no CME, no book fund...nuttin'. It's still pretty well regarded.

 

[IMPD]

Hello fellow SDN'ers,

I've created a throw away since my primary SN is not very anonymous after 7 years.

To the meat of the question. For "financial reasons" the office of GME has just cancelled all travel reimbursements for all conferences for the foreseeable future. One of the selling points for this program was having the opportunity to attend conferences with the support of the GME. This is just a long line of shortcomings that I have experienced in my program and if possible, I would like this to be the last. Would this be enough of an issue for me to call this a breach of contract and open me to transferring to another program (assuming I can find one that will accept a PGY-3)?

Thanks!
TQ

I've never seen a resident contract that spelled out GME support for x y or z. They might exist, but I doubt it. Mostly it's standard employment language salary and benefits (that is, health insurance and those sort of HR things).

You can always tell your PD that your simply unhappy and want to transfer, without worrying about cause or contracts. Not recommended, to say the least.

 

[shopsteward]

Hello fellow SDN'ers,

I've created a throw away since my primary SN is not very anonymous after 7 years.

To the meat of the question. For "financial reasons" the office of GME has just cancelled all travel reimbursements for all conferences for the foreseeable future. One of the selling points for this program was having the opportunity to attend conferences with the support of the GME. This is just a long line of shortcomings that I have experienced in my program and if possible, I would like this to be the last. Would this be enough of an issue for me to call this a breach of contract and open me to transferring to another program (assuming I can find one that will accept a PGY-3)?

Thanks!
TQ

As others have said, check your contract of employment. If there is nothing in the contract, you could possibly construct some sort of legal argument based on promises made to you, but it probably wouldn't get you the money within the time left for your residency and is likely to seriously blot your copybook.

How much in travel reimbursements have you averaged per year of your residency? Add it all up. If someone came along and said "I will pay you X for the next Y years if you leave your residency" would you leave? Is X for Y years worth taking an extra year of residency for (this sometimes happens when people change residencies). Would you have accepted X for Y years to go lower down your ranking list in the match (I suspect most people who move don't move to more prestigious programs, although they may find a better personal fit)?

I'm giving you a discouraging answer. This is not to say that you have not been treated badly or that giving you the news of the change has not been bungled. But your best response here is the coldly logical.

 

[ruralsurg4now]

No offense, but I can't believe you considered this a selling point. It also shouldn't be a last straw. Programs generally encourage academic work by saying if you present a paper they will foot the bill. Otherwise you generally pay out of cme. But let's be honest, almost nobody goes to conferences to listen to boring speakers present their worthless papers. Fact.

If there are other compelling reasons to hate your program, that's fine. But make the decision based on those reasons.

 

[cabinbuilder]

My program never paid for conferences. I had to pay my own way, hotel, etc for the board exams, etc. We were lucky to get the days off we needed to go. You don't even accrue CME in residency anyway. Seems odd.

 

[Shikima]

CMEs are determined as necessary by the board et al - your training enviornment carries an exemption from needing to show CME credits for a period of time once you complete.