Dear Residents, Fellows and GME Community,
Byron Joyner, MD
Happy 2025!
As we welcome this new year, the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) – Northwest and the University of Washington will begin negotiating for a fourth collective bargaining agreement. We are hopeful this process will find all stakeholders coming to the table with goodwill and shared commitment towards collegial, productive discussions.
The UW GME Office looks forward to celebrating housestaff wins. Our roles in negotiations are to advocate for the housestaff to UW Medicine leadership, serve as subject matter experts regarding matters of policy, accreditation, and finances, and connect with other subject matter experts whose scope affects residents and fellows.
Accordingly, the GME Office commits to the following values as we enter negotiations in 2025:
- Be at the table regarding decisions that affect our residents and fellows
- Articulate clear common goals in support of the work that residents and fellows do and to secure resources for them
- Serve as an expert in accreditation and education, bridging UW Medicine and the housestaff during and after negotiations
- Appreciate and enculturate a healthy, diverse and inclusive learning environment
- Promote well-being so that our community can grow and thrive
- Consistently interact in a professional and collegial manner with all parties involved in negotiations
Contract negotiations are challenging, and the reality is that compromises are necessary to arrive at any agreement. We expect difficult conversations but look forward to a process that is collegial and ultimately elevates us all.
Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO