Accommodation, Travel, and Conference Expense Policies

The Department of Family Medicine is partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and provides reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses for Residents and Western Medical Students that are completing training rotations within Southwestern Ontario and outside of their core teaching site, or within the Cities of London or Windsor. This travel policy meets the guidelines of The University of Western Ontario and the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. For questions regarding status of a claim, please contact Pat Yong, Financial Officer (pyong@uwo.ca).

Accommodation and Mileage for Core Rotations

Step 1: Determine your Eligibility

Part A: Rotation Eligibility
Learners may be eligible for Department of Family Medicine (DoFM) funding when they participate in core rotations in the Family Medicine Residency Program. Core clinical rotations include any rotation that IS NOT an elective. An elective rotation is identified as (e) in resident’s schedule. Typically core rotations include family medicine, palliative care, surgery, medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, emergency medicine, core selective, and rural family medicine (for London and Windsor residents) but can very among different programs. The exceptions are the OB and Palliative Care rotations in Kitchener which will be covered. Elective clinical rotations include elective rotations within Schulich Medicine Distributed Education boundaries. Refer to the Schulich Medicine Distributed Education website for elective funding eligibility.

Part B: Distance Eligibility
There is no mileage reimbursed for London and Regional Program residents travelling to rotations in London, Ilderton, Mount Brydges, St. Thomas, Strathroy, Thorndale, and the immediate area.

If a core rotation is 35 kms or more from your core teaching site, mileage may be funded. If a core rotation is 35 kms or less from your core teaching site, mileage is not funded. To determine if you meet the distance criteria of 35 kms or greater, please use Table 1 to identify addresses used for Academic Home Base/Teaching Site or your registered home address, whichever distance is shorter. All distances are calculated using the shortest route identified on Google Maps. Clinical location sites must be within an approved DoFM training site within Southwestern Ontario. Exceptions are the OB and Palliative Care rotations in Kitchener which will be covered. Mileage to all other communities will be calculated by the DoFM.

Table 1: Distance Eligibility – Academic Home Base Reference

Academic Home Base  Teaching Site  Address used for Mileage Reimbursement
London Program VFMC, BFMC, SJFMC

Western University, 1465 Richmond St. 

Windsor Campus Windsor University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave
Rural Program Chatham 465 Grand Ave W
Rural Program Goderich 180 Cambria Road N
Rural Program Hanover  118 7th Ave
Rural Program Petrolia  4130 Glenview Rd
Rural Program Stratford 511 Huron St. 
Regional Program Ilderton Middlesex Centre Regional Medical Clinic
36 Heritage Drive
Regional Program Strathroy  278 Metcalfe St. West
Regional Program SWMHC  Southwest Middlesex Health Centre
22262 Mill Road

Step 2: Determine your Request type

Temporary Housing Request:
The Department of Family Medicine (DoFM) strongly encourages trainees to live and learn in the community to optimize their experience. Funding for housing is provided to learners who maintain two places of residence during the rotation block(s): a primary residence at the Academic Home Base as identified in the above chart and a secondary residence in the community for the duration of the rotation. Funding is not intended to pay rent/mortgage for the learner’s primary residence. 

The DoFM provides accommodation funding up to $800.00 per block (HST included) effective for block 7 (December 20, 2022 to January 16, 2023) and later. For blocks prior to block 7, the funding is $600.00 per block (HST included). Accommodations during core rotations > 35 km are provided upon submission of receipts and learners will be reimbursed up to the funding limit of $800.00 per block starting in block 7 (December 20, 2022 to January 16, 2023). For previous blocks, the limit is $600.00 per block. Learners who choose temporary housing are entitled to travel funding for one return trip from their Academic Home Base/Teaching Site to their core rotation location. Note for London Program there is no accommodation provided or accommodation funding for rotations in Aylmer, Exeter, Ilderton, Ingersoll, Mount Brydges, St. Marys, St. Thomas, Strathroy, and Thorndale.

There is a Housing Resource in One45 under Handouts and Links with a listing of locations residents have previously stayed (Note: this listing is not an endorsement but can be used as a resource when booking accommodations). Residents completing rotations in Chatham, Sarnia, or Stratford might qualify for housing arranged directly by Distributed Education. Distributed Education will email you before your rotation to ask if you would like accommodations arranged or you can access their request form on the Distributed Education website. Residents completing rotations in Windsor might qualtify for housing arranged directly by Windsor Campus. Access their request form on the PGME Website.

Commuting Request
You are strongly encouraged to live and learn in the community to optimize your experience, however, there may be situations when commuting is the necessary choice. When making this decision, please consider call schedules, weather and travel time.

Learners who do not choose to live in temporary housing in the community, may qualify for travel reimbursement to support daily commute up to a maximum of $400.00 per 4-week rotation block.

 

Step 3. Submit your funding request

Mileage reimbursement
Family Medicine Residents must complete their mileage reimbursement claim through MyFM. Following the completion of each block (blocks 1 -13), complete the Travel Expense Claim Form in MyFM for reimbursement. Indicate under "Comment" section if you commuted daily or if the claim is for one round trip. Only forms with complete information will be processed. Travel expense claims will be processed at the end of each block. Cheques are issued by The University of Western Ontario and can take up to six weeks to process. Cheques will be mailed to the address on the PGME database. All claims for Department of Family Medicine funding must be submitted within 60 days of the final day of the rotation. Claims that are submitted late will not be processed.

Accommodation organized by the learner reimbursement
Following the completion of each block (blocks 1-13), log into MyFM and download the "Resident PDF Conference & Accommodation Form" within the travel and expense section of the website. Complete the form and send it along with the following to: Pat Yong: pyong@uwo.ca 

  • Original accommodation receipt *see note about handwritten receipts below*
  • Learner’s name
  • Address of accommodations
  • Dates of occupancy
  • Amount and method paid
  • Name and signature of the landlord
  • Email and telephone number at which landlord can be reached

All handwritten receipts have to be mailed to

Pat Yong Department of Family Medicine
The Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine, 1st floor
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University
1465 Richmond St.
London, ON, Canada N6G 2M1


Travel expense claims will be processed once a month. Cheques are issued by The University of Western Ontario and can take up to six weeks to process. Cheques will be mailed to the address on the PGME database. All claims for Department of Family Medicine funding must be submitted within 60 days of the final day of the rotation. Claims that are submitted late will not be processed.

 

Accommodation and Mileage for Core Academic Teaching Programs

Step 1: Determine your Eligibility

Mileage (travel that exceeds 35 kms within the SWO boundary, with the exception of Palliative Care and OB rotations in Kitchener) may be provided for in–person attendance at mandatory, core teaching programs, which include any sessions of the following: Behavioural medicine curriculum; Ethics curriculum; Wednesday academic half-days (PGE and Department of Family Medicine); Neonatal Resuscitation Program, Resident Project Day, and McWhinney Lecture Series. To determine if you meet the distance criteria of 35 kms or greater, please use Table 1 to identify addresses used for Academic Home Base or your registered home address, whichever distance is shorter. All distances are calculated using the shortest route identified on Google Maps. 

Step 2: Determine your Request type

Mileage (travel that exceeds 35 kms within the SWO boundary, with the exception of Palliative Care and OB rotations in Kitchener) may be provided for in–person attendance at mandatory, core teaching programs. Accommodations can be provided for those residents who are traveling from out of town (greater than two hours) to attend any core teaching programs that may occur in the early morning (< 8:00am). There is no reimbursement for any accommodation charge Fridays – Sundays. Accommodation must be requested (fmpgc@uwo.ca ) by the learner 30 days prior to the core teaching program. Learners who choose temporary housing are entitled to travel funding for one return trip from their Academic Home Base/Teaching Site to their core academic teaching location.

Step 3. Submit your funding request

Mileage reimbursement
Family Medicine Residents must complete their mileage reimbursement claim through MyFM. . If you are on rotation in a different location than your Academic Home Base, on MyFM Travel Expense Claim Form,  select Travelled to “Other” and key in the city with the Rotation Start and End Date. Following the completion of each block (blocks 1 -13), complete the Travel Expense Claim Form using MyFM for reimbursement. Only forms with complete information will be processed. Travel expense claims will be processed at the end of each block. Cheques are issued by The University of Western Ontario and can take up to six weeks to process. Cheques will be mailed to the address on the PGME database. All claims for Department of Family Medicine funding must be submitted within 60 days of the final day of the rotation. Claims that are submitted late will not be processed.

 

Conference Reimbursement Expense Claims

  • Residents receive $400 for each full year of residency (PGY1 - $400; PGY2 - $400; PGY3 - $400 [exception for PGY3 EM residents; please contact Elaine Lees for EM program policies]). Conferences will be reimbursed for registration costs only and not travel, accommodation, nor subscription fees. Online courses will be reimbursed with proof of completion before the end of residency. Funds can be carried forward if not used during any of your years. Please be sure to submit your original confirmation registration form showing that the conference has been paid in full with date and city of conference. For electronic receipts, please forward the electronic receipt paid in full with name of conference, date and city of conference.
  • Conference expense claims can be made following the date of the conference only. Western will not process any reimbursement until the conference date has passed.
  • Conferences after graduation date will not be reimbursed.
  • Following the date of the conference, please submit a certificate of attendance, the original receipt indicating payment, and the PDF Travel Expense form accessible in MyFM to pyong@uwo.ca It could take up to six weeks to process. 
  • Elective tuition fees will not be reimbursed.

The three attachments (a certificate of attendance, the original receipt indicating payment, and the PDF Travel Expense form accessible in MyFM) need to be submitted to pyong@uwo.ca no later than sixty (60) days after the end of the conference.

Expense Claim Q & A

Q: I have been elected as a Chief or Senior Resident. I understand there are administrative bonuses for these roles. How will I receive compensation?
A: Administrative Bonuses for these roles are compensated by Medical Affairs. 

Q: I have been completing in-hospital or home call visits. Are call stipends available?
A: Yes. For questions regarding call stipends, please contact Medical Affairs: CallSchedules@lhsc.on.ca 

Q: For a core rotation greater than 35 km one-way, if I select to travel daily instead of staying in accommodations, will I be reimbursed for daily mileage.
A:Yes, but up to a maximum of $400 per 4-week rotation block.

Q: Will I be reimbursed mileage when I travel to other horizontal/longitudinal rotations during my core rotation?
A: No.

Q: For attendance at core teaching programs, I forgot to mark my attendance online. Can I be reimbursed for mileage?
A: No, reimbursement for mileage is based from the attendance sheet. 

Q: Can I be reimbursed for my hotel stay at a conference?
A: No. The department does not reimburse accommodation or travel to attend conferences.