Physicians are entitled to a discount on membership dues to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine while in training.  Along with the application for membership, a letter from the program director is needed to obtain this savings. A copy of the application form may be obtained from the ACOEM website (see below).

The objectives of this section are "to serve as a forum for discussion of issues; a medium for exchanging ideas; and a vehicle for sharing information for those individuals who are recent, or will be graduates of occupational Medicine Residencies and Fellowships." Membership is open to ACOEM members and associates who are currently in approved Occupational Medicine residency training programs, or who graduated from such a program within the preceding five years. Section meetings are held twice yearly, coinciding with the annual Spring AOHC and Fall State-of-the-Art conferences.

Administrative Assistant-

Connie Thrasher is the administrative assistant for the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Division and the Occupational Medicine residency. She aids residents in arranging for licensure, program admission, ID badges, and is knowledgeable about most aspects of the program.  Her phone number is 558-0030.

All employees of the University of Cincinnati are required to have annual PPD and any appropriate vaccinations.  Upon entering the program, each resident must schedule a visit to  the University Health Services (584-4457) on the first floor of Holmes Hospital. Td, varicella, Hep B Vaccine series, appropriate titers, annual flu vaccine, etc. are available through the UHS. Vaccinations, counseling, and prescriptions required for foreign travel are available for the usual and customary fee.

Connie Thrasher is the administrative assistant for the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Division and the Occupational Medicine residency. She aids residents in arranging for licensure, program admission, ID badges, and is knowledgeable about most aspects of the program.  Her phone number is 558-0030.

Usually before the first of September each year, the University requires each resident to complete and show proof of Blood Borne Pathogens Training. CD-ROM training is available by contacting Ellen Elsbernd (556-4968) for an appointment. The CD-ROM training office is located on West Campus in Edwards Center above the Campus Police Station on Corry Blvd. near Jefferson Avenue.  Online training also is available.  Residents should return the completion certificates to the UC Occupational Medicine Residency Administrative Assistant before the deadline.

Bookstores -

The medical bookstore (558-4093) is located in the passage way between the first floor MSB and the hospital. Books not in stock may be ordered and are usually received in less than 10 days. The bookstore also offers school supplies, stationary, cards, diagnostic instruments and spare parts. A 10% discount is given to residents who present their ID badges. The main campus bookstore is located in a new building between Lawrence Hall and Armory Field House and the Service Building. The campus bookstore carries books for all university courses other than those offered by the Medical College.  Other UC bookstore information can be accessed via the world-wide web at:  http://www2.uc.edu/bookstore/bkbearcathq.htm

Chief Resident-

Each resident is expected to own or utilize their access (as in the MSB Health Sciences Library) to a PC with sufficient capacity to receive email with attachments throughout the residency training program. Additionally, an IBM PC, with a laser printer and a growing selection of software, including the NETSCAPE Internet browser and the Microsoft OFFICE set, is available for resident’s use in the MAB and in the Residents' room in Kettering. The College of Medicine MSB Library has approximately 30 IBM and 20 Apple PCs of varying quality and sophistication. They are available for use when the library is open and can be reserved at the library front desk.

CPR -

Residents are required to maintain an active BLS CPR certification. ACLS is not required. BLS, ACLS, and other courses may be taken through The University Hospital Community Training Center (584-8044). The Staff Development and Education Center (584-8044) is located on level 1 of the University Hospital, which is on the same level as the medical bookstore in the Medical Sciences Building (MSB).

Health Insurance -

The University requires all full-time students (those registered for 12 or more credit hours) to be covered by health insurance, either through the student insurance plan or through their own policy that is at least as comprehensive as the university student insurance policy.  As of Fall, 2001 and for the foreseeable future (but this could change), residents and their families will be covered by the University of Cincinnati’s health plan for employees (United HealthCare of Ohio, Inc.).  However, there is a 31 day waiting period for health insurance coverage. Therefore, residents should explore other options, such as continuing their previous coverage (COBRA), for this 31-day period.  Residents should direct questions regarding their health care coverage to their UC benefits coordinator (see Appendix C).

For those Occupational Medicine residents who have alternative health insurance coverage (as is the case for residents covered under the University of Cincinnati’s health plan for employees mentioned above), the University student health insurance plan is not needed and should be waived to avoid unnecessary charges to the resident. Every full-time graduate student (including Occupational Medicine residents) will be automatically charged for single student health coverage unless this coverage is waived annually.  Part-time students are NOT automatically enrolled or charged for coverage. 

The University student health insurance plan is waived by filling out the UC Student Health Insurance Waiver Form (Insurance Action Card) available in the Kettering Graduate Studies Office, the UC cashier's office, the UC registration office, UC Employee Health in the Holmes Hospital and the UC student health insurance office.  The completed UC Student Health Insurance Waiver Form (Insurance Action Card) MUST be submitted by the deadline (the 3rd Friday of the Quarter)  for EVERY ONE of the resident's Fall Quarters of enrollment as directed on the form.  If submitted in the fall, the waiver remains in effect the entire academic year.  If the University stuent health plan is not waived, the resident will be charged. 

ID Badges -

All employees are required to wear photo ID badges in all university buildings. A photo ID request card will be issued to residents and must be submitted to the Key Control Center and ID Badge Office (558-4998), at University Hall. The Green and Blue Cards (the key authorization card and photo ID request cards) need to be signed by Ronnie Ratlif (Kettering Room 120; 558-2149). It is a good idea to FAX the key order in advance to 556-4940 and mark it to be delivered to East Campus a couple days in advance of your appointment at 238 University Hall (558-4998). The Key Control Center and ID Badge Office (558-4998) is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 am to 5 pm except during the lunch hour and/or as otherwise posted.

Residents are authorized to obtain keys for the Kettering Residents’ room and for the outer doors of the Kettering Laboratory. A key authorization card is issued as noted above with the photo ID request card. It is a good idea to FAX the key order in advance to 556-4940 and mark it to be delivered to East Campus a couple days in advance of your appointment at 238 University Hall (558-4998). The Key Control Center and ID Badge Office (558-4998) is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 am to 5 pm except during the lunch hour and/or as otherwise posted.

Libraries / Reference Books -

Several libraries are available for use. The Health Sciences Library (phone #558-5627) is the medical center’s comprehensive library. It has books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and access to free on-line databases.  The Health Sciences Library hours are available online.  At present, the library is being remodeled and residents should check with the library as to the location of specific material.  Occupational and Environmental Medicine books and journals (as well as Internet Access) are available in the Occupational Medicine Resident’s room in Kettering, and in the Center for Occupational Health Clinic in Suite 3400 of the Medical Arts Building.  The UC Libraries home web page is:  http://www.libraries.uc.edu/.   You can also view your UC  library record online.

All residents are required to have either a current Ohio medical license or a Ohio Training Certificate in order to participate in any clinical activities in the residency.  Under most circumstances, the resident will need to arrange to get the license or training certificate before starting their residency, however there is a 120 day period while the resident can participate as a resident while their application is being processed.  The State Medical Board of Ohio website is: http://med.ohio.gov/licreq.htm.  The administrative assistant can assist with this process.

Each resident is assigned a graduate student mailbox (Room 125) and a resident mailbox (Room G37) on the ground floor of Kettering (mail location 0056). Residents are expected to check their mail boxes at least weekly. 

Extra-curricular moonlighting activities outside of the residency program for pay can benefit residents in training by allowing for work in positions of increased responsibility and by supplementing income. However, these activities are secondary to all residency responsibilities. Participation in such activities is governed by the following guidelines:

Extra-curricular moonlighting activities for pay are not permitted during any regularly scheduled academic or clinical commitments, unless approval is given by the program director and instructor or preceptor in advance.

All compensable extra-curricular moonlighting activities will be summarized in writing and submitted to the program director on a quarterly basis. Approval of such activities is contingent upon maintenance of a satisfactory level of performance in all residency activities. The privilege of moonlighting can be revoked with cause.

Extra-curricular moonlighting activities for full time residents will not exceed 60 hours in a 30 day period.

It is strongly recommended that extra-curricular remunerative activities be limited to clinical areas that are related to the practice of occupational medicine.

The individual resident assumes all responsibility for obtaining and maintaining medical liability insurance, worker’s compensation coverage, and any other costs or medical-legal responsibilities for these activities. The Department of Environmental Health and University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine will not provide any type of coverage unless the activities are sanctioned in advance by the residency and the funds are credited to the occupational medicine residents’ fund, rather than to the resident.

Each resident should fulfill the following requirements within their first month in the residency (except where another time period is mentioned):  

1. Document annual Blood Borne Pathogens Training and HIPPA training
2. Document biannual CPR Training
3. Establish Email account and notify the Residency Administrative Assistant and the Chief Resident
4. Establish local mobile phone and/or pager and notify the Residency Administrative Assistant and the Chief Resident
5. Obtain/document annual TB  status (see paragraph above)
6. Obtain/document Vaccination status (see paragraph above)
7. Meet with Academic Advisor and Residency Program Director to establish tentative class and rotations (experiences) schedule
8. Begin to enter tentative schedule of residency classes and other experiences into the UC Occ Med Competencies database (see Dr. Freeman for instructions), and obtain the report that shows competencies unmet by the proposed residency experiences
9. Obtain Ohio Medical Licensure within 6 months of starting the residency.  Ohio medical licensure or an Ohio medical training certificate is required before starting the residency.
10. Develop an initial draft of an educational plan for their training in conjunction with the Program Director

All employees of the University of Cincinnati are eligible for annual PPD and any appropriate vaccinations (Hep B, MMR, Td, Flu, etc) at the University Health Services (584-4457) on the first floor of Holmes Hospital. Each resident should make an appointment with the University Health Services (558-4457) and provide satisfactory evidence of prior, appropriate immunization status and receive any need vaccines and PPDs there, unless an alternative arrangement is made.   Written proof of each requirement being met will be required.  Failure to meet any of these requirements will be grounds for disciplinary action.

The resident’s room (Kettering - Room G37) with a phone, a computer with internet access, desks and storage space is located on the Ground floor of Kettering Building. 

Orientation-

Each July the Program Director and the Chief Resident will present a mandatory day long orientation program for the residents.

Each resident is expected to furnish himself/herself with a pager or mobile phone with a local number so that faculty and the Administrative Assistant can contact them at any time from 8am until 6pm. This expense may be reimbursed through the Resident Reimbursement Funds.

Parking permits or decals can be obtained from the Medical Center Parking Office (558-5606) on Level 2 of University Hall. Parking is sold on a quarterly or academic year basis for surface lots and garages. Lot parking and garage parking is in high demand and sold on a first come, first serve basis. The lowest cost option is the parking atop the Eden garage, and is available via lottery (deadline for Fall quarter is in mid-July). Another low-cost option, if it is available, is the lot behind Holmes Hospital.

If residents do not have a parking permit, they can use hourly parking in: the metered spaces (seldom available after 8:00 am), the Eden Garage, or the Holmes lot. Residents should not ask the COH staff to validate hourly parking stubs; because the university has specific policies prohibiting this practice.

Residents are afforded photocopying privileges with regard to copying articles and other items required for coursework and clinical assignments. Each resident is provided with a copy card for such residency-related copies.  Please do not abuse this valuable privilege.

The current clinic, conferences, DPIC, and ICWUC schedules will be provided by the chief resident. Residents are responsible for checking their mailboxes (at least once per week), the web (www.coh.uc.edu/Res_Clin.htm) and their email (at least twice a week )for schedule updates.

When residents want to change their scheduled dates for clinics, DPIC, or ICWUC, they should clear this with the chief resident, then notify the administrative assistant (558-0030) of the change, and then follow-up with an email to all concerned parties to confirm the change.

Commonly used telephone numbers of division and departmental staff, along with other useful phone numbers are listed in Appendix C. Also included is a list of residents’ phone numbers and addresses.

The Center for Occupational Health has established a source of funding for certain qualifying residents to further their educational and training goals. The chief resident will be responsible for keeping records of the reimbursement amounts available for each resident. Each resident must use their funds while in the residency program. Funds will not be dispersed on a prospective basis and are for educational or training purposes only.

The amount of money available to full-time residents will be $650 every academic year, up to a maximum of $1300 per resident during his or her training. Approved expenditures for academic purposes, including but not limited to books, supplies, software, computer and /or peripherals, travel to annual ACOEM meetings, and some continuing education courses, are to be summarized by each resident, supplemented with copies of receipts to support the nature of the professional expenditures, and given to the chief resident. After final approval by the Residency Director or the Associate Residency Director, reimbursements are made to the residents on an annual basis (typically late spring).

As of 7/1/03, full time residents receive full tuition remittance, health benefits, and a yearly salary according to the following schedule:

    PGY-2  $39,557

    PGY-3  $41,796

    PGY-4  $42,590

    PGY-5  $44,760

    PGY-6  $46,992

    PGY-7  $47,760

    PGY-8  $49,260

The chief resident receives an additional $2000 per year.

Paid annual leave is generally taken between academic quarters as mutually agreed between the resident and the program director. The administrative assistant (558-0030) and the chief resident  must be notified of the intended vacation time via email (connie.thrasher@uc.edu) at least 2 weeks prior to the first date of vacation.  Non-vacation absences longer than two days require that the resident notify the UC Occ Med Administrative Assistant as to  the absence and the expected duration.  Residents on vacation or who are ill/disabled are still required to arrange coverage for their clinical responsibilities with other residents or the chief resident.

Return to the University of Cincinnati's Online Residency Handbook