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Dear Trainees and Medical Students,
In August, we wrote to you about UC's new Health Affiliation Policy. Since that time, the policy has been updated, and the new policy went into effect on December 1, 2023. More information can be found in the full text of the Presidential Policy on Affiliations with Certain Health Care Organizations and of the Regents Policy 4405 Policy on Affiliations with Healthcare Organizations that Have Adopted Policy-Based Restrictions on Care.
What You Need to Know
Training at an affiliated organization with policy-based restrictions on care is voluntary, and if a trainee or medical student has an objection, the UCSF program or school will try to identify an alternative site.
Medical residents and fellows must complete all educational and clinical experiences that are required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Board of Medical Specialties, the UCSF School of Medicine and the UCSF residency or fellowship program in order to successfully complete the training program and be eligible for specialty board certification. Medical students must satisfactorily complete all educational and clinical activities that are required by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and the UCSF School of Medicine to successfully attain their medical degrees.
If a resident/fellow objects to training at a site because of the policy-based restrictions as described in this policy, the resident/fellow must formally submit this objection with a detailed explanation in writing to the Program Director and the UCSF School of Medicine’s Designated Institutional Official in the Graduate Medical Education Office (Katherine Julian, MD, kathy.julian@ucsf.edu) eight weeks before the assigned rotation start date.
If a medical student objects to training at a site because of the policy-based restrictions as described in this policy, the medical student must formally submit this objection with a detailed explanation in writing to the Associate Dean for Students (Erick Hung, MD, erick.hung@ucsf.edu) and the UCSF School of Medicine’s Vice Dean for Education (Karen Hauer, MD, PhD, karen.hauer@ucsf.edu) eight weeks before the assigned rotation start date.
If a sponsoring location receives a trainee or medical student objection, it will attempt to identify alternative sites with the necessary faculty, resources and clinical/educational experiences to comply with applicable accreditation standards, specialty board and institutional requirements while maintaining a consistent training experience for all UC trainees and consistent program funding. If an alternative site is found with which a training agreement has been or can be established consistent with UC policy and requirements, the trainee or medical student will be reassigned to the alternative site. If an alternative site is not found, the Designated Institutional Official will inform the trainee or medical student and the relevant Dean. The trainee or medical student will be given the option to train at that covered affiliate site, or to find another program if possible.
Sharing Concerns or Complaints
UC and UCSF expect that UC employees and trainees will deliver evidence-based health care services and, in those locations where a required service cannot be delivered, appropriate referrals or transfers must be made. If at any time a UC employee or trainee is asked to do otherwise, or a patient has a complaint, the University should be immediately informed as described below.
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If patients have any concerns or complaints about care received at a covered affiliate’s location, they may contact UCSF Health Patient Relations, patient.relations@ucsf.edu, (415) 353-1936. Online feedback form: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/patient-and-visitor-feedback
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If you, as a UCSF trainee, believe your professional judgment or freedom to counsel, prescribe, refer, transfer, or provide emergency care has in any way been impeded at a covered affiliate’s facility, you should immediately contact: Katherine Julian, MD, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, kathy.julian@ucsf.edu, (415) 476-4562
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If you, as a UCSF medical student, believe your professional judgment or freedom to counsel, prescribe, refer, transfer, or provide emergency care has in any way been impeded at a covered affiliate’s facility, you should immediately contact: John A. Davis, PhD, MD, Associate Dean for Curriculum, john.davis2@ucsf.edu, (415) 770-8792
We hope that you will follow generations of UCSF providers who have been superbly trained through these longstanding relationships and who continue to contribute to improving the health of all patients, regardless of where they access care. Please contact your deans or program directors for any questions.
Sincerely,
Karen Hauer, MD, PhD
Vice Dean for Education
John A. Davis, PhD, MD
Associate Dean for Curriculum
Katherine Julian, MD
Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education
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