Parental, Caregiver & Medical Leave Policy

The Department of Urology at the University of Virginia Health System seeks to provide its residents with appropriate time off to ensure the trainee’s well-being and to comply with the applicable requirements for program accreditation and urology board certification.

The department abides by the guidance set forth by the American Board of Urology (ABU), American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), and the University of Virginia Health System Office of Graduate Medical Education (UVA GME).

Residents are eligible for 6-8 weeks of paid leave in a given year, in accordance with ABU requirements.

• The American Board of Urology requires 46 weeks of full-time clinical activity in each of the five years of residency. However, the 46 weeks may be averaged over the first 3 years of residency, for a total of 138 weeks required in the first 3 years, and over the last 2 years, a total of 92 weeks is required.
• UVA GME residents are eligible for paid parental leave (PPL) within 6 months of the event (birth, adoption, or placement).
• Residents who have been employed for at least 12 months prior to the start of PPL are eligible for up to 8 weeks of consecutive paid leave. Residents with less than 12 months of employment prior to the start of PPL are eligible for up to 6 weeks of consecutive paid leave.
• PPL is separate from vacation and sick leave (i.e., trainees may take vacation time in addition to approved PPL time).
• PPL can be taken once in a 12-month period and only once per child.
• Residents who have been employed for 12 months or longer are required by medical center policy to also apply for Family Medical Leave (FML) which runs concurrently with their PPL. FML grants up to 12 work weeks of unpaid family and 3 medical leave of absence during any 12-month period to trainees who wish to take time off from work duties to fulfill family obligations relating directly to the birth of a child, adoption, and/or placement of a foster child in order to bond and care for the child; to care for a child, spouse, or parent with a Serious Health Condition,; or due to the employee’s own Serious Health Condition or disability.

• American Board of Urology Residency Requirements, “Leaves of Absence” Residency Requirements | The American Board of Urology (abu.org))
• University of Virginia Health System Office Of Graduate Medical Education Policies and Procedures, “03-Leave or Request for Absence” Policies & Procedures | Graduate Medical Education (virginia.edu))
• American Board of Medical Specialties “Policy on Parental, Caregiver, and Medical Leave During Training” Parental, Caregiver and Medical Leave During Training (abms.org)