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DHM CME Policy FY2026

Division of Hospital Medicine CME Policy Effective 7/1/2025 CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR HOSPITALIST PHYSICIANS/APPs

The following policy has been designed to ensure UNC employed hospitalist physicians maintain competency in their own specialty, in order to continue to deliver quality care to patients. Additionally, this policy has been developed to help attract and retain qualified physicians to UNC Hospitals.

I. Benefits

  1. Continuing Medical Education - Each full time employed physician/APP (1.0FTE) will be reimbursed up to $4,500 /$3,000 for approved Continuing Medical Education (CME) expenses during FY26. Physicians/APPs may include the dues to professional organizations of their specialty in this category as long as that amount is not greater than one half of their allowable amount.
  2. Physicians whose Hospital Medicine overall job FTE status is less than 1.0 will receive a prorated amount. (Example: an employee with an overall FTE status of .75 in Hospital Medicine will receive a seventy-five percent benefit).
  3. Benefits are calculated based on the fiscal year (July 1-June 30). Benefits will be pro-rated for employment periods that do not coincide with the fiscal year. There will be a moratorium on purchases in the last month of the fiscal year. Deadlines for purchases will be announced annually by the accounting specialist.

II. Guidelines

Purchases must show that your credit card has been charged, not just that an order has been placed.

  1. Covered expenses - CME funds may be used for the following physician expenses without preapproval from the Division Administrator or Division Chief:
  2.  License fees
  3.  Board exam fees
  4.  Maintenance of Certification Program Expense fees
  5.  Registration fees directly associated with virtual meetings, conference, seminar, etc.
  6.  Annual dues to professional organizations for the current year only , not to exceed one half of the allowable amount
  7.  Professional books, journals, posters and software must contact Charlotte Baldwin to directly order from UNC Vendors, can no longer be purchased and reimbursed
  8.  Medical Equipment upon the approval of the Hospital Medicine Chief, (ie stethoscope) must contact Charlotte Baldwin to directly order from UNC Vendors, can no longer be purchased and reimbursed
  9.  One white coat per year up to the amount of the Student Stores cost (currently $120) - must contact Charlotte Baldwin to directly order from student stores, can no longer be purchased and reimbursed
  10.  Laptop computers and tablets, that are used for research, quality improvement or patient care purposes, must contact Charlotte Baldwin, as electronics should be purchased through the university or hospital and all electronics purchased with CME funds must be turned in upon employment separation *You may only have one device of each type at any time - in other words you cannot have two laptops issued to you at once. If one has met the end of its useful life, it must be turned in before another can be purchased.
  11.  Other items upon the approval of the Hospital Medicine Chief or Division Administrator

2. Travel covered expenses:

All travel must be approved in Concur prior to booking. Most faculty are eligible and encouraged to use the University travel & expense credit card for eligible purposes. Consult with Charlotte Baldwin before you make any uncertain purchases on your own and please forward all receipts to her. If you do not yet have a card, please contact Angela Davis-Johnson.

  •  Commercial, tourist class, air travel is covered and is the transportation of choice on trips exceeding 200 miles - must be booked through CONCUR
  •  For trips less than 200 miles, travel by private auto or Enterprise rental car is preferred but not required
  •  Costs of liveried service transport, such as taxis, bus or limousines should be placed on T&E cards
  •  Use of private auto is reimbursed at the current per mile rate established by NC State
  •  Parking and tolls should be placed on T&E cards
  •  If the physician requests to use a private auto in lieu of air transportation, the less of the per mile private auto reimbursement rate or the tourist air fare will be the basis for reimbursement
  •  Tips, if applicable, should not be greater than 20% of the bill.
  •  Hotel accommodations for the physician should be placed on T&E cards*
  •  Employee meals will be reimbursed at a per diem rate, so do not charge these to the T&E card
  •  Per diem meal reimbursement is not allowable for meals covered by a conference registration fee
  • Non-covered expenses - CME funds may never be used for the following:
  •  Costs for family members accompanying the Physician
  •  Cost of alcoholic beverages
  •  Entertainment
  •  Repairs and maintenance to private vehicles
  •  Traffic and parking citations
  •  Personal travel
  •  Laundry
  •  Personal items such as hygiene items
  •  Non-professional books, magazines, journals and software
  •  Headphones
  •  Scrubs or clothing of any type
  •  Desktop computers and printers for home use

*APPs do not have T&E credit cards

Important Note

Employees will need to substantiate business expenses within 60 days or amounts may be taxable and reported on Form W-2. No reimbursements will be granted if submission is more than 180 days after expense is incurred.