In order to begin a program sponsored by the Baptist Health –UAMS Medical Education Program (BH-UAMS), all applicants must meet the requirements for eligibility and selection as specified by policy 110 Recruitment and Appointment.

The eligibility, recruitment and appointment of residents to programs of the Sponsoring Institution is based on, and is in compliance with, the institutional, and specific program requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)

• At a minimum, an applicant must meet one of the following qualifications to be eligible for appointment to an program:
• graduation from a medical school in the United States or Canada, accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME);
• graduation from a college of osteopathic medicine in the United States, accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA);
• graduation from a medical school outside of the United States or Canada, and meeting one of the following additional qualifications:
  • holds a currently-valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates prior to appointment;
  • holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a United States licensing jurisdiction in his or her current ACGME specialty/subspecialty program;
  • has graduated from a medical school outside the United States and has completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school.

• Since pursuing a career in Arkansas is desired, no program shall admit a resident that the Arkansas State Medical Board (ASMB) will not consider for an unrestricted Arkansas license. See Arkansas Medical Practices Act 17-95-401 through 17-95-407 on Licensing, Regulations 3 & 14 of the Regulations of the Arkansas State Medical Board. An educational license is not sufficient to meet this eligibility requirement.
• Successful completion of any step of the USMLE or COMLEX in no more than 3 attempts per step (ASMB Regulations 3 & 14).
• An applicant must demonstrate the following English language proficiency to the satisfaction of the Program Director:
  • Proficiency in reading and writing (printing) English text,
  • Proficiency in understanding spoken English on conversational and medical topics, and
  • Proficiency in speaking English on conversational and medical topics. Any appointed resident found to be in violation of the English proficiency eligibility requirement will be referred, at the expense of the program, for appropriate remediation.

No program will discriminate with regard to sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, veteran status or genetics.

Pre-Employment Drug Test

Baptist Health has a drug testing policy which includes pre-employment, random and for cause testing. All residents accepted into residency programs at the Baptist Health – UAMS Medical Education Program must submit to a drug and nicotine screen. Appointment or acceptance into the training program will be finalized only upon completion of a negative drug and nicotine screen. The procedure for submitting the sample for testing is provided after Match Day.

Background Check

Appointment or acceptance into the training program will be finalized only upon completion of a criminal background check.

All candidates for residency positions will be notified upon during the interview process that all appointments to residency positions are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.

All applicants for BH – UAMS residency positions are required to authorize the performance of a criminal background check at the time the position is offered, or in the event of matched applicants, at the time that the match result is received.

The resident will be asked to disclose any situations prior to the obtaining of the background check. If the criminal background check returns negative information, the resident will have an opportunity to challenge erroneous information, or explain accurate negative information, prior to a final decision. Failure to disclose relevant and accurate information that is later discovered on a background check adds an additional measure of concern about the applicant’s (or resident’s) qualification for appointment as a resident physician.

The following background check findings may be inconsistent with appointment as a resident physician in our programs. If any of these findings are identified on the background check, the offer of a position may be withdrawn, or employment terminated. Please note the following list is representative, but not inclusive, of reasons an applicant may be denied residency position.

• Felony convictions that may be reasonably related to the practice of medicine.
• Felony convictions related to the illegal possession, use or distribution of drugs or controlled substances.
• Felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions involving violence against another person.
• A pattern of repeated felony or misdemeanor convictions that calls to question the individual’s ability or willingness to comply with the law, particularly as related to one’s future ability to practice medicine.
• Registered sex offender status (or legal requirement to register but not registered)
• Arrests where the final legal status has not yet been determined.
• Dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States
• Exclusion from participation in Medicare or similar programs.

Applicants to whom any of the findings above may apply are encouraged to discuss the situation with the program director prior to acceptance of a position or rank order listing.