For Medical Students and Residents

Hurricane Katrina displaced a number of medical students and residents in the Gulf Coast region. Through the AAMC, many medical schools across the country have offered to provide them education and training. However, coordination with the hurricane-affected institutions—in advance of implementing temporary or permanent educational alternatives for students and residents—is essential to addressing the education and training needs of the displaced students and residents.

Decisions as to where students and residents will continue their education and training, if relocation is necessary, will be made by administrators at the affected institutions in conjunction with the appropriate accreditation organizations for undergraduate and graduate medical education.

Undergraduate Medical Education

The AAMC is working with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to address medical student issues. Through AMCAS and the AAMC Student Records System, we are verifying student records and identification for those affected in the event that such information is needed by other institutions. In addition, we are working with the Association of Academic Health Centers regarding efforts related to health-professions students and training.

• If you are a displaced medical student unable to reach your school, contact students@aamc.org.


• If you are an AMCAS applicant for the 2006 entering class, read the AMCAS announcement for students affected by Hurricane Katrina.


• If you are Tulane Medical Student who has not already done so, please contact the registrar at Baylor at registrar@bcm.edu regarding the September 26 restart of your courses.


• Read the LCME response to Hurricane Katrina

MEDLOANS customers are eligible for relief from Sallie Mae, which is making loans of $500 or $1000 that are interest-free until June 2006 to its current borrowers attending schools in the disaster area, up to a total of $15 million. In addition, Sallie Mae will grant automatic payment relief to student loan customers in the areas affected by the storm. This will allow students to discontinue making payments on their loans. The company will also extend the same payment relief terms authorized by the U.S. Department of Education for federally guaranteed loans to its private loan customers. More >>

Graduate Medical Education

The AAMC is working with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Board of Medical Specialties, the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, and the Federation of State Medical Boards to evaluate issues involved in transferring residents to other institutions. We emphasize the importance of residents' communicating with their program directors and designated institutional officials about their education programs. We have been in contact with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service to examine the financial implications of changes in residency training locations.

Residents should not attempt to negotiate new position arrangements without having direct approval from their program. Contact your program director with any questions. If you can't reach your program director, send a message to residents@aamc.org.

ERAS will assume responsibility for processing supporting documents for Tulane senior medical students and medical graduates applying for residencies and fellowships. ERAS also is compiling information on whether various programs are collecting applications. Those applicants affected by Katrina may visit a special ERAS site for information and assistance.

• Read the ACGME hurricane response statement.


• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has informed the AAMC that teaching hospitals that take on residents displaced by the hurricane will receive temporary adjustments to their Medicare resident caps if taking on the additional residents causes the hospital to exceed its cap. Read the CMS Q&A document.


• Read a letter from the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates that provides guidance on procedures and documentation required for both temporary relocations and permanent transfers due to Hurricane Katrina.  

According to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), residents and fellows who obtained their positions through the NRMP need to be aware of the requirements in the Match Participation Agreement. If the resident already has begun training in the program, continuation in the matched position is subject to the terms of the resident's agreement of appointment with the institution. If a matched position is not scheduled to begin until July 2006, the resident may request a waiver of his/her match commitment. Waiver requests and any questions should be addressed to nrmp@aamc.org.

The Federation of State Medical Boards has set up processes to assist state medical boards, hospitals, clinics, and other organizations needing to verify the licensure status of Louisiana physicians. Information is posted on the FSMB Web site.