Accommodations for Disability
gme-adm-0001
About This Policy
- Effective Date:
- 02-10-2016
- Date of Last Review/Update:
- 09-25-2023
- Responsible University Office:
- Graduate Medical Education
- Responsible University Administrator:
- Senior Associate Dean for GME
- Policy Contact:
- GME Assistant Director Emilie Leveque eleveque@iu.edu
- Policy Feedback:
- If you have comments or questions about this policy, let us know with the policy feedback form.
- Print or view a PDF of this policy
- Many policies are quite lengthy. Please check the page count before deciding whether to print.
Scope
This policy applies to all Graduate Medical Education (GME) residents in ACGME-accredited, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM)-sponsored training programs.
Policy Statement
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires IUSM to provide certain kinds of reasonable accommodation to qualified residents and fellows when necessary to provide an equal learning opportunity. Under the law, “reasonable” must be individually determined after an individual requests accommodation.
IUSM GME follows the governing Indiana University Americans with Disabilities Act Policy (see references). IUSM aims to provide equal opportunity to all residents while simultaneously supporting the integrity of each training program. Requests for accommodation will be considered “reasonable” unless the requested accommodation significantly alters the resident role or the goals of residency training.
The Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) has specified non-academic or technical standards that all residents are expected to meet to participate in GME training. Appendix A describes the technical standards that residents and fellows are expected to meet to train in an IUSM GME program. As appropriate, individual training programs may add more specific standards to these criteria.
Disability information is considered private. The Program Director will determine the extent of disability-related information to be shared within the training program. Residents are encouraged to speak with faculty as openly as possible to facilitate understanding and resident support. IUSM does not notify potential residency or fellowship programs or other employers about an individual’s disabilities without specific permission from the resident.
First aid and safety personnel may be informed, when appropriate, if a disability might require emergency treatment or if any specific procedures might be needed to accommodate a resident in case of fire or other evacuations. Government officials investigating compliance with the ADA may also be provided relevant information as requested.
It is also the resident’s responsibility to obtain a thorough written evaluation from an appropriate professional, documenting the presence, extent, and ramifications of the disability. In addition, the documentation should explain what specific types of accommodation the evaluator believes might be most helpful in offsetting the effects of the disability to an acceptable extent in a GME environment.
The resident must obtain this evaluation at his or her own expense and arrange to have the evaluation form and all supporting documentation forwarded as noted below in procedures. An evaluation performed more than three years earlier may not be acceptable. There are instances for which an evaluation must have been completed within a few months or even weeks.
If further evaluation is required, the resident will remain primarily responsible for arranging additional evaluation at his or her expense.
Reason for Policy
The purpose of this policy is to establish and define the non-academic criteria necessary for participation in GME training and to outline the process whereby a resident in IUSM GME training program may request accommodation for disability.
Procedures
Requesting Accommodation
- A resident may request accommodation by either directly notifying the Program Director or by confidentially completing the Indiana University accommodations application process (see reference).
- The Program Director can directly approve requested accommodations independent of Indiana University approval for minor modifications such as: changes to clinical scheduling, exam time allowance (if appropriate Board requirements for accommodation are met).
- All other requests for accommodation must be submitted through the Indiana University accommodations application process (see reference).
- IU specialists may contact the Program Director and GME to discuss essential functions of the position.
Planning for Approved Accommodation
- Once a specific accommodation plan has been approved, the Program Director must discuss a plan for implementation with the resident.
- The Program Director must document an implementation plan for approved accommodations, including curricular modifications, anticipated training extensions, and plans to secure any needed supplemental funding.
- If fulfillment of program goals are not possible through the recommended accommodation, a good faith effort to negotiate another accommodation should be initiated.
Appeal of Requested Accommodation
- A resident may appeal an accommodation decision by submitting a letter to the Senior Associate Dean for GME explaining why the accommodation decision is unsatisfactory, and including any available corroboration information.
- The Senior Associate Dean will review the appeal letter with the IUSM general counsel and IUPUI ADA Accommodations Specialist, and will render a decision regarding the appeal.
- A resident may appeal the Senior Associate Dean’s decision by submitting a final letter to the Dean of IUSM that both describes the nature of the request for accommodation and explains why prior decisions are not satisfactory.
- The IUSM Dean or designee will then consider the need and method for further review and study, ultimately rendering a final decision on the matter.
Definitions
ACGME is the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
A resident is an IUSM resident or fellow, or a non-IUSM resident or fellow electively rotating through IUSM who provides clinical care as part of a GME program.
Implementation
The Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for GME is responsible for implementation of this policy.
Oversight
Policy authority for this document resides with the GME committee. The DIO and the GME committee are responsible for oversight. This policy will be reviewed every three years or more often if deemed necessary.History
- Policy IUSM-GME-PO-0001 approved by GMEC and publishedon 14 November 2012.
- Policy reviewed, updated, and approvedby GMEC on 10 February 2016.
- Policy updated for formatting 27 February 2018.
- Policy updated for formatting 27 June 2018.
- Policy migrated to the policy portal 01 March 2022.
- Policy reviewed, updated, and approved by GMEC on 27 September 2023.