Compliance Updates for RESIDENTS/FELLOWS

All residents and fellows in a University of Minnesota program must complete the GME Flu Shot Reporting form by October 24 and upload documentation showing they received a flu shot or documentation of a medical reason for declining or deferring the flu shot.

• Link to the GME Flu Shot Reporting Form: z.umn.edu/gmeflushot

• Link to the tracker with reporting status: z.umn.edu/gmeflushottracker

Below is a list of onboarding and advancement resources that were either emailed to incoming residents/fellows or included in onboarding checklists distributed through the New Innovations RMS system. Refer to RMS checklists as the primary source for instructions and resource links for completing onboarding requirements.

• Data Exchange Information Sheet | Residents/Fellows - Information for completing the GME Data Exchange Mandatory Information Acquisition Form (referred to as the Data Exchange)

• 2024 Data Exchange Guide | Residents/Fellows - Step-by-step instructions with screenshots on completing the GME Data Exchange with tips and answers to frequently asked questions

• 2024 Onboarding Timeline | Residents/Fellows - Timeline of major dates for the GME onboarding process

• "Big 3" Resources - When you start the onboarding process, three items are required for you in order to begin training. You can view information about these three important requirements below:

  • GME Training Agreement Information with Signing Instructions

  • Residency Permit and Medical License Information and Permit Application Guide | Residents/Fellows 

    • The Permit Application Guide contains step-by-step instructions with screenshots on completing the Residency Permit Application with tips on how to avoid common errors on the form

    • Please note that the ONLINE application has been newly launched by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice and no guidance has been provided to programs or the GME office on completing the application

  • Department of Human Services Background Study Information (note this two-part requirement can only be completed when a resident/fellow is in Minnesota, and the second part of the requirement must be completed within a 14-day window)

Due to the July 4th holiday, there will be a delay in processing the fit testing clearance forms from the fit testing sessions on July 1. Residents and fellows who attended the July 1 Orientation and drop-in fit testing sessions will continue to receive reminders from the Occupational Health portal but will be updated as complete within the next few weeks.

A high volume of onboarding checklist steps are currently being completed by incoming residents/fellows, particularly checklist steps that were due by June 1. The GME Compliance Team will be processing all of your pending steps as quickly as possible, but expect there will be delays. 

Thank you to residents and fellows who are completing their requirements on time!

The GME office will mark the UMN-GME-24/25 Fit Testing (3) Respirator Mask Fit Test Renewal checklist step complete this week and send a communication to all continuing residents/fellows who will need a new respirator mask fit test before the end of 2024 with information about how to be fit tested. Anyone with fit test documentation to upload can use this form link: z.umn.edu/gmefittestupload. 

The respirator mask fit testing checklist step has been marked complete for continuing residents and fellows who have signed up for a drop-in fit testing appointment on the Fit Testing 2024: Drop-In Sessions Appointment Schedule & Sign Up sheet.

Please pay careful attention to the residency information you include in your application.

NetStudy has made a recent change that incorrect information about where you have lived in the last five years will require you to pay for a new application if your residency information is entered incorrectly.

For example, if you enter on your application that you lived in a US state outside of Minnesota within the past five years, you must enter a prior address. The GME office can enter prior addresses if you forget, but cannot edit incorrect information.

If you enter that you have not lived outside of Minnesota in the last five years but then provide out-of-state locations between 2019 to the present, the GME office can't process your application.

If out-of-state residency information is incorrect, you must pay the $44 fee to submit a new application using these instructions. NetStudy will not edit this information on your application, and the GME office does not have access to view this response.

A number of questions have been asked about the timing of the background study.

You must complete the application step of the study before your program start date and are permitted to schedule your fingerprint/photograph appointment after your start date as long as you do it within 14 days after the GME office processes your application.

If you are arriving very close to your start date, the application is online so you can complete it from anywhere you have internet access.

The UMN-GME-24/25 Fit Testing (3) Respirator Mask Fitting checklist step has been marked as complete for new residents and fellows who will be attending the GME Central Orientation.

The UMN-GME-24/25 Fit Testing (2) Medical Clearance Evaluation checklist step will be marked as complete for residents and fellows who are changing programs or continuing in their training who have been reported as by BOHD as compliant with this step through the 2024 calendar year.

Shared by M Health Fairview: If you are having issues logging into EPIC and have NOT had Fairview access previously, you will need to claim their ID. If have had access previously then you can reset the password. If you are still having issues, call the helpline at 612-672-6805.

The Office of Information Technology has identified the issue and will be include a fix to the problem among other system updates on May 16. UCard requests can begin again after May 16. If you encounter errors, please report any issues to OIT at help@umn.edu and include gme@umn.edu in your email.

Our office discovered a technical issue when searching for resident/fellow completion of Orientation modules for earlier entries. Returned checklist steps for any residents or fellows with a recorded response will be marked as complete. If your returned step has not been marked complete in a week and you believe it should be, please email gme@umn.edu to let us know.

The NPDB Self-Query page no longer has the technical issue message posted. Please try submitting your self-query again if you have not already done so.

The NPDB Self-Query page no longer has the technical issue message posted. Please try submitting your self-query again if you have not already done so.

The Office of Information Technology has notified the GME office that there is currently a data transfer issue preventing an account from showing as eligible for a UCard. If you have been informed that you are not yet eligible for a UCard, this data transfer issue is being looked at. Wait and try again in a few days.

The NPDB Self-Query Database is currently experiencing technical issues. If you are having trouble logging in to obtain your self-query, please try again and upload the self-query as soon as you are able.

The VA Education Office has been notified of the issue and that there might be a slight delay in receiving the NDPB information for onboarding.

If you have a time sensitive question, send a Google chat to leque@umn.edu for quicker assistance. You must be logged in to your University of Minnesota account to use the chat feature. Questions that can be answered in a few days should be emailed to gme@umn.edu.

All incoming and changing program residents and fellows who completed the Data Exchange by April 1 should have received an email with their onboarding materials. If you have not received an email with your 2024 agreement, email gme@umn.edu with the subject "Onboarding Materials Needed".

If you have held a license in any field related to healthcare, you will likely have an NPDB entry and should complete the self-query on the VA Pre-onboarding Checklist. See Table C-1 on this NPDB Guidebook page for examples of healthcare practitioner licenses.

This step does not apply to anyone not rotating to the VA or anyone who has never held a license. Email requests to waive the step will be completed before May 1.

All programs with incoming residents and fellows were required to submit information in the Data Exchange to the GME office by April 1.

Residents and fellows who have not completed the Mandatory Information Form in the GME Data Exchange (http://gme-secure.umn.edu/resident_fellow) should do so as soon as possible. Please note that late submissions will experience a delay in receiving their onboarding information.

All programs with incoming residents and fellows were required to submit information in the Data Exchange to the GME office by April 1.

Residents and fellows who have not completed the Mandatory Information Form in the GME Data Exchange (http://gme-secure.umn.edu/resident_fellow) should do so as soon as possible. Please note that late submissions will experience a delay in receiving their onboarding information.

The University of Minnesota Office of Graduate Medical Education will be sending information about onboarding requirements on or around April 12 to residents who matched to programs on March 15 and any resident/fellow who completed the Data Exchange after the early deadline.

If you have already obtained your permit, please upload the letter from MBMP to your onboarding checklist after you are issued your onboarding checklists from the UMN GME office.

Incoming and changing program residents/fellows who completed the Data Exchange by the February 23 deadline are scheduled to receive an email with their training agreement and relevant onboarding information today between 3:00 to 6:30 pm. The GME office has shared with program administrators a list of the times when residents/fellows will receive their onboarding materials.

New residents/fellows will receive a welcome email from Dr. Susan Culican, Associate Dean of the Office of Graduate Medical Education (OGME), with their training agreement and an onboarding information document with details about their UMN ID, email account, and login credentials to New Innovations RMS.

Changing program residents/fellows will receive an onboarding email from the GME Compliance Team with their new agreement and information about their onboarding checklists.

Some residents/fellows who completed the Data Exchange information form late or their training agreement details have not been finalized may not receive an email yet. Email gme@umn.edu or call Le Que Heidkamp at 612-626-3479 on Monday if you did not receive an email from OGME and expected to.

Residents and fellows starting a new program at the University of Minnesota must complete the GME Data Exchange Mandatory Information Acquisition Form ("Data Exchange"). Residents and fellows will be sent an email by their program administrators with information, links and program-specific deadlines. See this Data Exchange Information Sheet Template. Note that programs will set program-specific due dates for when you need to complete the Date Exchange so they can review your information and submit the program section of your Data Exchange entry.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What if I need to make a small change/addition to information I already submitted in the Data Exchange? Contact gme@umn.edu or your Program Administrator to make corrections.

• What if I can’t access the Data Exchange? Try a new incognito or private browser window or clearing your cache. Contact Le Que Heidkamp, GME Compliance Administrator, at gme@umn.edu or 612-626-3479 if the issue persists.

• What do I do if my legal name is changing soon or in the process of changing? See the “Name Changes During Onboarding” section of these instructions for resident/fellow name changes.

• Can I use a preferred professional name instead of my legal name? No, for onboarding you must use your legal name with supporting government-issued documentation (passport, driver’s license, social security card, etc.). You can enter your preferred “nickname” in the systems after your records have been created.

• Do I have to fill out the Data Exchange if I graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School? Yes.

• Is the form shorter for “Changing” residents/fellows? Yes! We already collected most of your personal information in a previous onboarding form, so the form you fill out will be condensed.

The GME Resident/Fellow Onboarding & Advancing Timeline with important onboarding and advancing dates has been updated with the onboarding dates for 2024. Some dates may be subject to small changes throughout the onboarding season.

Residents and fellows who begin off-cycle will have deadlines that may not correspond with typical deadlines and listed due dates. Given the volumne of onboarding steps, below is a list of important onboarding requirements to prioritize:

REQUIRED BEFORE OR BY YOUR PROGRAM START DATE: 

1. Sign and return your Training Agreement - A fully signed agreement is required in order to begin your program. Upload your signed agreement to checklist "23/24 UMN GME Onboarding Checklist" > step "UMN-GME-23/24 Training Agreement".

2. Obtain and provide your Residency Permit Application or Medical License Application - A permit or medical license is required in order to begin clinical service. This can take up to 4 weeks to process, so you should work with your program to submit the application as soon as possible. When you receive your permit or license, upload a copy to checklist "23/24 UMN GME Onboarding Due @ Program Start Date" > step "UMN-GME-23/24 Permit or License Upload (Onboarding)".

3. Complete your Background Study Application - A background study application must be submitted through the Minnesota Department of Human Services's system called NetStudy that associates you with the University of Minnesota GME office. This is a confusing process, so please carefully read the instructions from your checklist.

OTHER STEPS TO PRIORITIZE:

1. Provide a photo for your badge. Badge creation takes 3 weeks.

2. If you do not have have an existing NPI number, submit your NPI Application as soon as possible. This can take 4 weeks to process.

3. Email your Immunization Record to Boynton Health at least 4 weeks (or as soon as possible) before your start date in case additional immunizations are required.

Contact: GME, gme@umn.edu

ALL residents and fellows training in a University of Minnesota residency or fellowship program, including those in an instructor or Chief Resident position, must annually provide documentation from a health provider of receiving a flu shot or a medical reason for declining the flu shot.

Important notes for all GME trainees who must provide new documentation or have not reported their flu shot status:

• The GME office cannot access health information for Boynton, M Health Fairview, or any affiliate site. Residents/fellows must provide documentation to the GME Flu Reporting Form to complete this requirement. GME cannot see any information in any health provider system, despite what a nurse might have said.

• Obtain documentation by downloading the MIIC Docket App or contacting the EOHS office of the affiliate site to request a copy of your flu shot documentation. Documentation must include:

  • Your first and last name (must be printed and legible)

  • The date you received the vaccination

  • The vaccine information

  • The location/provider name

• Program Directors and Vice Chairs of Education will be notified on Thursday, October 26, of the list of residents and fellows who are overdue on providing flu shot documentation.

• Department Chairs will be notified on Monday, October 30, of the list of non-compliant residents and fellows who may need to be removed from service on November 1.

• Non-compliant residents/fellows and their program personnel will be notified on Tuesday, October 31, of the residents/fellows who must be removed from service on November 1.

• Step-by-step instructions are available here for completing the form. If you have updated your internet ID, complete this name and X500 change form.

• Get a flu shot at UMN Boynton Health Services Flu Vaccination Clinics, at Affiliated Hospitals Flu Vaccination Clinics, from your health provider or any flu shot provider near you.

Learn more about the flu shot reporting requirement or view answers to FAQs.

Beginning this weekend, residents and fellows who have not completed the flu shot status reporting form and provided supporting documentation will be send weekly reminders from the GME Compliance Team.

A list of all GME trainees and their flu shot reporting status has been shared with program administrators.

A non-compliant list will be shared with all program leaders on October 27 and trainees who remain non-compliant will be removed from all clinical activities on November 1 until the reporting requirement is completed.

Learn more about the flu shot reporting requirement or view answers to FAQs.

Residents and fellows must annually obtain and report their flu vaccination to the GME flu vaccination reporting form (z.umn.edu/gmeflushot) by October 24. Anyone not receiving a flu shot due to medical reasons must also report their declination to the form by the deadline.

Documentation of the flu being administered must be uploaded to the form and should include the (1) resident/fellow name, (2) date of the flu shot, (3) type of vaccine, (4) location/provider.

Learn more about the flu shot reporting requirement or view answers to FAQs.

The final two drop-in fit testing sessions organized by the Office of Graduate Medical Education will be on Thursday, September 14, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM and Thursday, September 28, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM in Mayo B646. Residents/fellows can reserve a timeslot here. See appointment instructions and walking directions for the fit testing sesssion.

Residents/fellows who are unable to make the drop-in sessions can always make an appointment with HPOEM (HealthPartners Occupational and Environmental Medicine).

Learn more information about the fit testing requirement.

Anyone who is receiving an error message when adding or updating a Practice Address to the online NPI application should remove any suite, apartment, room, PO box, or campus mail codes. The NPI application will only accept the physical building address as validated by USPS (the United States Postal Service). These details can be added to the Business Mailing Address.

Questions about your NPI directory listing can be directed to the NPI Enumerator at 1-800-465-3203 or customerservice@npienumerator.com.

A recent email sent from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost Office of Human Resources ending the COVID vaccine mandate for the University of Minnesota will NOT change the onboarding requirements for incoming GME residents/fellows to provide their COVID documentation. Many health systems affiliated with the University of Minnesota Academic Health Sciences continue to require COVID vaccination reporting, though some affiliates will accept medical or religious exemptions. In compliance with AHS-wide affiliation agreements, residents/fellows in GME programs must continue providing documentation of their COVID vaccination status during the onboarding process.

Anyone attending the GME Orientation will be fit tested and can mark their  UMN-GME-23/24 Fit Testing (3) Respirator Mask Fitting checklist step in New Innovations RMS as complete.

The GME Compliance Team will take the step of marking this step as complete for attendees of the June 16 Orientation today.

Residents/fellows attending the July 7 and August 1 Orientation and attending a fit testing session can mark this step as complete in their New Innovations RMS checklist at any time after reading the information.

The GME Compliance Team is currently processing a high volume of pending onboarding requirements submitted in the last week for items due June 1. Trainees can expect a lag in their pending items being cleared. Urgent and important items will be prioritized.

Programs will be notified that a trainee cannot start their program if a "Big 3" requirement is incomplete:

• Training Agreement - required for ALL program activities, including orientation activities

• Background Study Application - required for ALL program activities, including orientation activities

• Permit/License - required before clinical service begins

For urgent and time-sensitive requests, please call Le Que Heidkamp, GME Compliance Administrator, at 612-626-3479, or Google chat with her at leque@umn.edu. You must be using your University of Minnesota email account to access Google chat.

Note: RMS does not sort pending items by the date completed. Trainees who completed their steps on an earlier date will not necessarily have their step marked complete before a trainee who completed the same step on a later date.

For residents/fellows who need to renew their TB screening, see these instructions (provided during initial Onboarding):

Tuberculin Skin Tests (TSTs) are NOT provided under your health plan. However, you CAN obtain a TST via Boynton Health Services OR at a HealthPartners Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic (HPOEM) and it will be paid for by the University of Minnesota

• Boynton Health Services: Schedule an appointment with Boynton.   

  • Let them know that you are a GME resident/fellow and the bill for service will be covered by the Office of Graduate Medical Education. (The invoices are verified and if you are not in a GME program at the time of service the bill will be routed to you.)

  • Boynton Health will ask you to provide insurance information when scheduling appointments in the event that there are charges that are not covered by GME.

• Health Partners Occupational and Environmental Medicine (HPOEM) Clinics

  • Call the Occupational Medicine appointment line (952-883-6999) to make your appointment. Verify the clinic location with the person booking your appointment.

  • When you go to either of these two clinics you must present yourself as a University of Minnesota medical resident/fellow. Provide your 7-digit student/employee ID number.

Ensure this immunization form is filled out with TST verification and returned to Boynton. 

• • Immunization records/receipts can be provided as supporting documentation if needed, but Boynton will not accept immunization information if a completed UMN AHS Tuberculosis & Immunization Form is not provided.

  • Email the form to immunizations@umn.edu or send by fax to the number listed on the form.

Additional Resources:

• Immunization Information for New Residents/Fellows (provided during initial onboarding)

• Occupational Health, Safety, & Immunization Requirements

Residents/fellows have until June 1 to submit confirmation from Boynton Health of their immunization compliance before their checklist step is considered overdue.

• UMN AHS Tuberculosis & Immunization Form: z.umn.edu/ahsimmunizationform

  • Immunization records/receipts can be provided as supporting documentation if needed, but Boynton will not accept immunization information if a completed UMN AHS Tuberculosis & Immunization Form is not provided.

• Onboarding Instructions: Immunization Information for New Residents/Fellows (Onboarding)

• Email your signed form: Send your email to immunizations@umn.edu

  • List in the email subject line: “GME Immunization Record - StudentID” (your StudentID is your 7-digit University of Minnesota ID)

  • Send it from your University of Minnesota email account

  • Receive an auto-response confirmation email from Boynton (Boynton takes 7-10 days to process immunization forms)

The GME Compliance Team has no way of knowing when an incoming resident or fellow plans to arrive in Minnesota from an out-of-state location. Therefore, any background study application submitted in NetStudy will be processed on the presumption that a resident or fellow has arrived or is due to arrive in Minnesota within the next few days.

If you submitted a background study application too early:

1) Email Sarah Engstrom at gme@umn.edu to request your background study application be withdrawn before the application is paid for and the fingerprint-window opens. 

• If the application is successfully withdrawn before it is paid for and processed, you can submit a new application at a later date at no charge.

• If the GME Compliance Team does not receive sufficient notice, once your application is paid for, processed, the fingerprint-window opened, you will be required to submit a new application and pay the $42 application fee out-of-pocket.

2) Submit a Fingerprint Extension Request.

• The Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN DHS or MNDHS) will extend the fingerprint and photo expiration date one time for up to 30 calendar days in cases where the background study subject experiences an unforeseen emergency such as serious illness or an emergency that requires the person to be out of Minnesota, or there is another reason beyond the person's control that causes them not to be fingerprinted within the given time.

• There is no guarantee MN DHS will extend your fingerprint deadline as this circumstance may not be considered an "unforeseen emergency". Additionally, this may not be sufficient extension of time if you submitted the application 45 days or more before your arrival to Minnesota.

3) See if an IdentoGO fingerprint location is in your state.

• Visit IdentoGO's site for contact information for vendor locations in your state. Some residents/fellows have had success in getting a fingerprint appointment outside of Minnesota.

• Fingerprinting fees may apply for out-of-state fingerprinting options that will not be reimbursable. In many cases, the simplest solution may be to initiate and pay for a new application.

Residents and fellows who will be attending the in-person Orientations can ignore the overdue respirator fit test reminders from the University of Minnesota Occupational Health portal. You will be fit tested during Orientation at which time your requirement will be cleared. The GME office is not able to turn off the automatic reminders in the Occupational Health portal, however, so reminders will continue to be sent until the requirement is completed.

• The UMN-GME-23/24 NPDB Self Query step will be waived for anyone who reported to GME that they have never held a license. (Completed Monday, April 17)

• The *MMCGME-Program Completion Certificates step will be waived for anyone who reported to GME that their graduation date is after April 1, 2023, during onboarding. (In Progress)

• The VA Pre-Onboarding Checklist will be waived for residents/fellows whose programs report to GME that they will not be rotating to the VA. (In Progress)

If any of these apply to you and the steps have not been waived by Monday, April 24, please email gme@umn.edu.

Anyone encountering issues uploading their second COVID vaccine dose in MyU because it is not within 20 days of their first dose can contact COVID19vaccine@umn.edu to resolve this issue.

The most common reason this occurs is because one of your personal identifiers was incorrectly listed in the Data Exchange (usually your birthdate though sometimes your social security number).

Call Le Que Heidkamp at 612-626-3479 between 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday to Friday, to verify the personal information you provided which will enable you to claim your account.

Then you will need to call OneStop Student Services to explain what happened and correct the wrong information. Call 612-624-1111, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday or 1-800-400-8636 for toll-free from outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area or 612-626-0701 TTY for hearing-impaired students only. You will need your 7-digit UMN ID number, your SSN and birthdate, and the piece if information was entered incorrectly that you need to update.

Current residents continuing in program training will be offered drop-in fit testing sessions on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Details on the schedule and instructions on how to make an appointment will be emailed to residents and fellows in May and posted here. Dates and times for the drop-in sessions are:

• • Tuesday, July 25, 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

  • Tuesday, August 1, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (limited drop-in slots, priority given to incoming residents/fellows attending the Abbreviated Orientation session)

  • Friday, August 18, 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

  • Friday, September 1, 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM

  • Thursday, September 14, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

  • Thursday, September 28, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Locations and a sign-up for drop-in time slots will be posted in June.

Residents and fellows who received their onboarding materials on March 23 and March 24 where sent agreements that inadvertently pulled stipend amounts from the previous academic year instead of the upcoming 2023/2024 academic year. Corrected agreements were emailed to all impacted residents/fellows on Monday, March 27. Stipend amounts for 2023/2024 can be founded on this published stipend rate table.

If you are completing the Data Exchange and receive the "Warning!" message stating the graduation date listed was before April 1, 2023, even though your graduation date is after April 1, 2023:

1. Verify you have entered a graduation date on the following screen; if your graduation date is missing, contact gme@umn.edu with your graduation date

2. Verify you have selected you are "graduating ON/AFTER April 1st, 2023"

3. Click "Submit My Information" to move past this warning message

The developer has been contacted to address the issue and the text warning should now be updated.

Residents and fellows beginning program training or changing programs at the University of Minnesota must complete the GME Data Exchange Mandatory Information Acquisition Form ("Data Exchange"). Residents and fellows will be sent email by their program administrators with information, links and program-specific deadlines.