Resident Travel Requirements

Residents and Fellows should reach out to their program leadership (program director and/or program coordinator to initiate the process of requesting approval for the global health program.

If the program approves, the resident/fellow should start completing the paperwork (as appropriate from the list below) for GME approval.
Forms must be completed, signed and returned to the GME Office (Sarah.Gonzalez@unchealth.unc.edu) at least 90 days prior to the departure date.

• UNC Residents International Rotation Policy – This is an overview of requirements, Sections A-11 and C-3. refer to the resident reporting to Occupational Health Services before and (if necessary) after travel.
• Letter of Agreement between UNC Health Care System and Host Institution – There is a template for letter mentioned in Section III of above rotation policy. Each traveling resident is required to obtain the signatures of their UNC program director and host site (the host site signature must come from the onsite preceptor or person who will be present to supervise the resident) and sign and return to the GME Office. GME will then obtain the signature of the Designated Institutional Official for Graduate Medical Education and the UNC Hospitals Chief Medical Officer.  Contact the GME Office (Sarah.Gonzalez@unchealth.unc.edu) to get this template and for instructions on filling it out.
• Voluntary Participation and Assumption of Risk Agreement – Note that in Section 3. the “issue date” refers to the U.S. Department of States’ destination-site issued travel risks. No notary or witness required. Residents/fellows sign the form and leave the signature section for the UNC Health Care System blank and submit to the GME Office. GME will obtain the necessary signature.
• Special Projects Professional Liability Form – Required for all away rotations to be insured for professional liability coverage, obtain signature of residency program director and return to the GME Office. GME will obtain the signature of the UNC Hospital Chief Medical Officer and the Chair of the Liability Insurance Council.
• Letter from Program Director for Non-Clinical Away Rotations – Only required if your rotation does not involve any direct patient care.
• Resident Physician Global Health Elective End of Elective Assessment by On-Site Supervisor – Supervisor completes and resident returns to Resident’s Program Coordinator or Program Director at the end of the elective/program.

All residents/fellows need to complete the requirements #2-8 below.  However, the process is different depending on whether or not you are applying for travel funding from OGHE.

If you are applying for funding from the OGHE office for your Global Health program – choose the Resident/Fellow: Global Elective – OGHE Funding Requested link to “apply” and complete the requirements (as outlined below in #2-8).   Please note the travel funding deadlines.

If you are NOT applying for funding from the OGHE office for your Global Health program – choose the Resident/Fellow: Global Elective – NO OGHE Funding Requested link to “apply” and complete the requirements (as outlined below in #2-8).

After you start your application for your funding requested or no funding requested program, you can log back in to your application via the Global Health portal. 

Travel Exemptions are mandatory for all travelers and are now handled by UNC Global. Please follow instructions on this link (School of Medicine).  Questions on the process or to report issues with accessing or uploading to RASR, should be directed to Meredith Bryson at UNC Global.  The RASR system can only be accessed while on NC’s campus or if using a VPN.  The final approval will need to be uploaded into your application in the Global Health portal.

You will complete the information required for travel health insurance, give your emergency contact info, and sign the code of conduct through your appliation in the global health portal.

OGHE will order travel health insurance close to the date of the travels.  OGHE will contact you if we have any questions on the information provided on the form.  If your travel changes (dates, or location), please contact OGHE. OGHE will will cover your insurance up to 60 days.

Prior to departure, you will receive an email (from: Customer Service @ BCBS Global Solutions) with your ID card. We suggest you print it or take a photo of it. (Check your spam/junk folder).  If you do not have it one week prior to departure, contact OGHE.

Please purchase Before or After Travel Health Insurance Coverage for personal travel ONLY after you receive the email from GeoBlue/BCBS Global Solutions to print your ID card.

 

Pre-existing Medical Conditions (and pre-departure arrangements with GeoBlue/BCBS Global Solutions):

If you are traveling with a pre-existing medical condition, you can receive pre-departure assistance (prior to enrollment by the UNC Insurance & Risk Managers):

HIPAA & HIPAA Release

GeoBlue agents cannot speak with additional parties without a completed & signed HIPAA release from the student. Below is a copy of that document as well as a flyer reviewing HIPAA requirements. The completed HIPAA form would need to be returned to GeoBlue and be in their system to be in effect. If an individual is incapacitated or unable to provide written or verbal HIPAA clearance, the GeoBlue/BCBS Global Solutions medical team can review the situation to waive the HIPAA requirement. However, this is done on a case by case basis.

If you feel you need to work with GeoBlue for a pre-existing condition or you want to sign a HIPAA release form, you will see the full information in the global health portal.  We recommend you follow up with GeoBlue/BCBS Global Solutions ASAP. 

UNC resident physicians and fellows must go through either UNC Hospital Occupational Health Services  (for hospital-paid residents/fellows) or University Employee Occupational Health Clinic (for departmental-paid fellows) for the required pre-travel medicine appointment prior to all official UNC global travel per the UNC GME Policy on International Rotations.  More information on this policy and steps can be found in the global health portal.  After your appointment, complete the short online attestation of your travel health appointment to OGHE via the global health portal.

Access codes and instructions for these can be found in the global health portal.

• CFHI Health and Safety Recording (REQUIRED)
• CFHI Reflection Recording (recommended) 
• Pillars of Global Health, online training (recommended). Watch the video describing the Pillars of Global Health online training.
  If you would like to be enrolled, specifically request this from OGHE.  There is a cost for enrolling you in the course, but we are happy to purchase it for any residents who want to enroll.

UNC requires you to register your travel dates with the U.S. Department of State.  Information on this can be found in the global health portal. This will alert the United States Department of State to your presence in your travel location and will allow you to receive timely alerts and warnings before and during your travel dates.

Read and Print (2 copies) the UNC Emergency Plan for Resident Physicians during international travel found in the global health portal. l. Leave one copy with a family member in the U.S. Save a backup on email or Google Drive.

Submit the Resident Physician Global Health Elective End of Elective Assessment by On-Site Supervisor – Supervisor completes and resident returns to Resident/Fellow’s Program Coordinator or Program Director at the end of the elective/program.

Please submit the OGHE program evaluation found in the global health portal no later than 30 days upon your return.