2024-2025 GME Benefits (effective 7/1/2024)
The following benefits apply to benefits-eligible Residents and Fellows.
Medical and prescription insurance
Residents and fellows are eligible for one Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics medical plan—the $0 Deductible PPO Plan. Following is an overview of the coverage provided by the $0 Deductible PPO Plan. Coverage begins on your start date, which is the first day of orientation.
Dental insurance
Coverage is provided by Northeast Delta Dental. There are 2 levels, basic and enhanced. Preventive care is covered at 100% for both levels. Coverage begins on your start date, which is the first day of orientation.
Vision insurance
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics offers vision coverage for eyewear through Delta Vision. You can search for in-network providers on the EyeMed website. Click on “Find an eye doctor” and choose “Access” from the “Network” drop-down menu. Our medical plan continues to cover your annual routine eye exam under preventive services and the Delta Vision plan can be used toward your frames and lenses.
Short-term disability (STD) insurance
The benefits program provides resident/fellows with STD coverage equal to 100% of base salary for up to 90 days. This benefit begins immediately following Sun Life Financial’s determination of disability..
Long-term disability (LTD) insurance
The benefits program provides resident/fellows with basic LTD coverage equal to 80% of base salary, to a maximum benefit of $3,750 per month. Sun Life Financial determines eligibility and medical necessity for LTD. If approved, LTD payments begin immediately following the date STD payments end.
Life insurance benefits*
The benefits program provides resident/fellows with the following Life and AD&D insurance at no cost.
Resident/fellows basic life insurance:
- 1x salary to a maximum of $100,000 Resident/Fellows Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
* Resident/fellows Basic Life and AD&D insurance coverage reduces by 50% at age 70.
Professional liability coverage
Professional liability coverage is provided to all residents and fellows by the Hamden Assurance Risk Retention Group, Inc. Primary limits are $1 million each claim and $3 million aggregate. Residents and fellows are covered by the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Professional Liability Policy only when practicing within the scope of their Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital employment. For more information, see Malpractice Insurance and Risk Management Frequently Asked Questions.
Flexible spending account
As a resident/fellow you may be eligible for our Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA) accounts.
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics Employee Investment Plan — 403(b) Plan
Resident/fellows are eligible to participate in the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics Employee Investment Plan – the 403(b) Plan. You may save up to 100% of your income per year, subject to IRS maximums**, through:
- 403(b) Pre-tax contributions,
- 403(b) Roth After-tax contributions, or
- A combination of both types of savings.
** In 2022, the IRS contribution limit is $20,500 for employees under age 50. Employees age 50 or older during the year may save up to an additional $6,500 in "catch-up" contributions.
Employer retirement match
Residents/Fellows are eligible for employer matching contributions of 50 percent on up to 4 percent of employee pay saved, for a maximum match of 2 percent. Matching contributions vest based on a three-year vesting service schedule. Employees earn one year of vesting service for each calendar year in which they are credited with at least 1,000 hours.
Paid time off
Vacation and Flex Days
Residents and fellows at all levels are given the following as paid time per training year:
- 20 vacation days*
- 5 flex days
There is no roll-over or accumulation of paid time off. All vacation, flex days and holiday comp days must be taken in the current training year.
*Note: If board requirements for the specialty do not allow for a 4th week due to “time away” limitations, residents/fellows will instead be paid at the end of each academic year for the five vacation days they are unable to take.
Paid medical, parental and caregiver leave
Residents and fellows are entitled to a total of 6 weeks of paid medical, parental and caregiver leave once during their training program. This paid leave is in addition to the above annual vacation and flex time, and will be paid at 100% of pay. Leave can be taken for the following reasons:
- The birth of a child and to bond with the newborn child within 1 year of birth.
- The placement with the resident or fellow of a child for adoption or foster care and to bond with the newly placed child within 1 year of placement.
- A serious health condition that makes the resident or fellow unable to perform the functions of their job.
- To care for the resident or fellow’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition.
View the GME Time Away from Training Policy (PDF)
Bereavement leave
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics authorizes up to the equivalent of one work week of bereavement time with pay to an employee who has experienced a death or death(s) in their immediate family (i.e., an employee regularly scheduled to work 40 hours each week receives up to 40 hours of bereavement time, an employee scheduled to work 20 hours per week receives up to 20 hours of bereavement time). The absence may be used over an extended period of time at the supervisor’s discretion.
Immediate family is inclusive of: spouse; child, step-child; parent, step-parent, parent-in-law; grandparent; grandchild; brother, step-brother, brother-in-law; sister, step-sister, sister-in-law; son-in-law; or daughter-in-law.
Additional benefits
Meal money
Each resident/fellow receives $1,500 per year, divided into payments in their bi-weekly paycheck, for meal money. This gives residents/fellows the flexibility to purchase food where and when they want.
Coats/scrubs
Two lab coats are provided to all Residents and Fellows at the beginning of training. Lab coats are embroidered with the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center logo (Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Vascular and Dartmouth Cancer Center logos are also available), name, and specialty. Laundry services are provided and a dropbox for soiled coats is located in the Resident Call area. Laundered items are returned to the rack located inside the Resident Call room.
Scrubs are handled at the departmental level, please contact your Program Coordinator for more information.
Education fund
Each resident is given monies per training year to be used for items of an educational nature such as textbooks, educational conferences, conference travel and accommodations, subscriptions and membership in educational societies. You may submit receipts for approved educational expenses and request reimbursement through your Program Coordinator. Funds are available at the start of the fiscal year, which is July 1. These funds do not roll over from year to year. Additional funds may be available based on department specific educational resources; for more information, please contact your Program Coordinator.
| Post-graduate year | Educational monies |
|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $500 |
| PGY-2 | $1000 |
| PGY-3+ | $1500 |
USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 Exam Fees
PGY1/PGY2 residents are reimbursed in full for the first USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 exam application fees the incur. You may submit a receipt for the exam fee and request reimbursement through your Program Coordinator. Subsequent exam fees for exam re-testing, will not be eligible to be reimbursed in full. Instead, residents may utilize their Education Funds to partially offset the expense.
Parking
Free parking space is available throughout the hospital premises and off-site locations are provided.
Child care
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center has an on-site Child Care Center designed to care for the children of benefits-eligible employees (including residents and fellows). It includes eight classrooms, two large indoor play areas, and two separate outdoor playgrounds. Adjacent to the Medical Center, it can accommodate children from six weeks to kindergarten. A highly qualified staff provides professional care from 6:30 am to 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday. There is a sliding fee scale based upon your income and payroll deduction is available. Those interested should apply as early as possible as there is usually a waiting list for entry into the program. Please call 603-643-6504 or email dhmc@brighthorizons.com.
Call rooms
If you need a place to stay and rest while on call there are call rooms available on the fifth floor. Departments that take call often have their own designated rooms. There are also a number of “float rooms” available for anyone to use in both the resident/fellow and medical student hallways. If you need assistance finding these rooms, please email gme.office@hitchcock.org or call 603-650-5748.
Transportation
Are you too fatigued to drive home? In order to prioritize the safety of our GME residents and fellows, we provide transportation options those experiencing fatigue. The GME office is pleased to cover the costs of transportation for residents and fellows who are too tired to drive themselves home after work. We strongly encourage trainees to take advantage of these transportation options instead of driving their own vehicles when they feel fatigued. For details on how to secure a safe ride home, please view the transportation flyer. View addition transportation options in the Upper Valley transportation Guide.
Loans
The Hitchcock Foundation’s Residents Revolving Loan Fund offers small interest-free emergency loans to assist with living expenses. Repayment can be deferred until completion of training at this Hospital. Those interested should visit The Hitchcock Foundation’s website.