Resident Professional Development Funds

Implementation Date: 7/1/2021

Date of Last Revision: 2/24/2021

Next Review Due: 2/23/2024

 

Reviewed by VTH Administrative Team: 5/6/2009; 2/10/2021

Reviewed by VTH Board: N/A

 

Revised Director/ Section Head Approval: 2/24/2021

Reviewed by Biosecurity Subcommittee: N/A

Subject to modification by the VTH Director without approval.

Printable PDF: Resident Professional Development Funds

Policy

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) Residents are encouraged to give presentations and receive training that advances their area of study, enhances the reputation of the University, and provides for professional development of the Resident. Residents accumulate funding each fiscal year to be used for their own professional development while employed in this capacity by the University of Illinois.

There are three potential funding sources to be used for Resident professional development: 1. VTH/Veterinary Clinical Medicine (VCM) Resident Professional Development Fund allocated annually to each Resident for a period of three years; 2. VTH Resident Emergency Fees generated through the provision of service by the Resident outside of scheduled service hours; 3. Consult Fees generated by the Resident’s service, a portion of which goes into a service fund for Resident professional development.

Guidelines

• Residents may use their VTH/ VCM Resident Professional Development Fund to offset costs associated with courses, seminars, manuscript/publication fees, veterinary professional memberships, conference registration fees, and exam registration fees. These funds can also be used to cover travel expenses associated with the Resident’s professional development.
• Professional development funds held in the VTH Resident Emergency Fee fund may be used on behalf of a Resident for the above stated purposes.
• Professional development funds held in Consult Fee fund may be used on behalf of a Resident for the above  stated purposes or may be used to offset costs associated with the Resident’s training (e.g. patient procedure training, equipment purchase, etc.) at the service’s discretion.
• Professional development funds are not intended to fund research.
• All use of professional development funds must be approved by the Resident’s Service Head, or designee, and must not exceed the available funding.
• University funds may be used during the period encompassing the Resident’s employment to cover expenses associated with professional development. Residents no longer employed by the University do not have access to professional development funds.
• Transfer exam fees are recognized as service revenue; as such they are not allocated towards Resident professional development funding.

Procedure (if applicable)

1. VCM/VTH Resident Professional Development Fund

1. Upon hire, the Resident will receive $1000 in professional development funds provided in equal parts by the VTH and VCM Department.
2. The Resident will receive an additional allocation of $1000 each year for the subsequent two years.
3. Each Resident will have access to the total amount available in their designated fund, and the account balance will be rolled over each year until termination of employment.
4. Resident funds not spent will be forfeited back to the VTH/VCM upon termination of Resident employment.
5. The Resident Professional Development fund should be utilized prior to a Resident accessing other funding sources for Resident professional development.

2. VTH Resident Emergency Fee Fund

1. A charge code (Resident Emergency Fee) is created for each Resident when hired to be charged to the client’s account when the Resident responds in person to care for a patient outside of their normal work shift/schedule.
2. The Resident’s Emergency Fee is allocated to their service’s Resident Emergency Fee professional development fund.
3. The Resident is responsible for ensuring that their Emergency Fee is charged. Fees that are not entered at the time of service will not be added to a client’s account retroactively.
4. These funds will be tracked per Resident throughout their residency and allocation of funds will consider individual Resident’s contribution. 
5. The balance in the VTH Resident Emergency Fee fund will roll-over annually. 
6. If a Resident leaves a remaining balance in the fund after their residency, these funds can be allocated to a new Resident for professional development related expenses.

3. Consult Fees

1. Each time a service consults with another service of the Hospital regarding a patient, a Consult Fee may be charged to the client’s account. 
2. When a Consult Fee is charged, 25% of the revenue will be allocated to the service’s Consult Fees fund and 75% will remain as service revenue.
3. The balance in the Consult Fee fund will roll-over annually.
4. Consult Fee funds are to be used at the services’ discretion to support house officer professional development.

4. Requests for Fund Use

1. To request funding from resident professional development funds, the resident must fill out a business travel expense request 
   (https://process.uillinois.edu/Runtime/Runtime/Form/TravelRequest.Navigation/) and submit it for approval to their Service Head. 
2. The VTH Business Office will provide the Service Head the necessary account information (FOPs) related to available resident fund balances. 
3. If funds are available, the Service Head will approve the expenditure and forward the request to the VCM Department Head for approval.

Definitions (if applicable)

Professional Development: An activity that is necessary or beneficial to the success of a veterinary professional.

Resident: An employee of the VTH/VCM that is completing a 3-year training program in a veterinary specialty service of the VTH. For the purpose of this policy, a Resident is a clinician with primary patient care duties in the VTH.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH): The collective clinical services of the Large Animal Clinic, Midwest Equine, the Small Animal Clinic, and the Veterinary Medicine South Clinic.