Distributed Medical Education (DME) is responsible for the administration of housing accommodations for all learners. The new Housing Accommodations Policy was approved May 15, 2017 and updated June 18, 2018 by Senior Management Committee. Please see below for highlights about changes for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Learners. Any questions can be submitted to the accommodations coordinator at dme.accommodations@mun.ca. 

To read the entire Housing Accommodations Policy please click here.

UGME

• Learners will be provided housing accommodations when completing required clinical placements that are approximately a one or more hour commute (by vehicle) from St. John’s, for the following courses: 6780 - Community Engagement II; 7730 - Special Projects III; 8710 – Core Experiences.

  • Learners are primarily responsible for organizing and funding their own accommodations during elective and selective rotations. Learners can contact the appropriate regional academic program administrator (APA) to inquire about available space in Memorial University leased housing units. However, priority for these accommodations is given to learners completing core rotations. Learners will not be reimbursed for private accommodations for electives/selectives.

  • At the discretion of DME, undergraduate medical students completing the Progression to Postgraduate (P2P) selective, the Rural Core Selective, or assigned electives in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador may be provided housing accommodations.

• For clinical placements where Memorial University leased housing accommodations are unavailable, learners are encouraged to complete an equivalent clinical placement at an alternate location and/or time. If an alternative is unavailable, DME will work with the learner to secure accommodations in proximity to the worksite. However, if a learner wishes to complete their clinical placement in a community where there is no Memorial UNiversity leased housing accommodations and an alternate option is available, the learner will be responsible for securing and paying for their own accommodations.

• Learners are responsible for advising DME, eight weeks before the start of a rotation, should there be any changes to their housing requirements, including but not limited to, vacations, a change to type of housing needed, or if a housing accommodation is no longer required.

  • If accommodations cancellations/adjustments are required because of a learner failing to confirm their need for accommodations or cancelling their accommodations two weeks before the start of their rotation, the learner will be responsible for reimbursing DME for the amount that has been spent on the housing accommodation on their behalf.  

• DME cannot guarantee single accommodations for each learner. Learners will be expected to share accommodations when single accommodations are not available.

• Learners are eligible to receive family accommodations only if their spouse/common-law partner and/or children/dependents will be accompanying them for the entire duration of a clinical placement. Please see information about family accommodations and complete the request form here.

• In certain situations, the learner may be required to pay upfront for a private housing accommodation. The learner will be reimbursed for the payment(s) however, the housing arrangement must be pre-approved by DME before any costs are to be incurred. Payments for private housing accommodations not pre-approved by DME will not be reimbursed.

• Alternate housing accommodations for learners who require special housing needs due to medical reasons will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and will only be provided by DME if such requests are substantiated by appropriate documentation provided by the Blundon Centre. 

• If a learner refuses to stay in a housing accommodation provided by DME for non-documented reasons (e.g. decor not to their liking, learner wishes to bring their pet), the learner is permitted to find alternate housing arrangements however, they will not be reimbursed for any payment associated with the accommodation.

PGME

• Learners are provided housing accommodations when completing core rotations that are approximately a one or more hour commute (by vehicle) from their home-base.

  • Learners are primarily responsible for organizing and funding their own accommodations during elective and selective rotations. Learners can contact the appropriate regional academic program administrator (APA) to inquire about available space in Memorial University leased housing units. However, priority for these accommodations is given to learners completing core rotations. Learners will not be reimbursed for private accommodations for electives/selectives.

• For clinical placements where Memorial University leased housing accommodations are unavailable, learners are encouraged to complete an equivalent clinical placement at an alternate location and/or time. If an alternative is unavailable, DME will work with the learner to secure accommodations in proximity to the worksite. However, if a learner wishes to complete their clinical placement in a community where there is no Memorial University leased housing accommodations and an alternate option is available, the learner will be responsible for securing and paying for their own accommodations.

• A Family Medicine resident, whose home-base is outside St. John’s and is required to travel to St. John’s for core content or orientation may make arrangements for private overnight accommodations with family and friends with pre-approval from the accommodations coordinator. Such approved arrangements will be reimbursed at a rate of $25 per night.

• Learners are responsible for advising DME, eight weeks before the start of a rotation, should there be any changes to their housing requirements, including but not limited to, vacations, a change to type of housing needed, or if a housing accommodation is no longer required.

  • If accommodations cancellations/adjustments are required because of a learner failing to confirm their need for accommodations or cancelling their accommodations two weeks before the start of their rotation, the learner will be responsible for reimbursing DME for the amount that has been spent on the housing accommodation on their behalf.  

• DME cannot guarantee single accommodations for each learner. Learners will be expected to share accommodations when single accommodations are not available.

• Learners are eligible to receive family accommodations only if their spouse/common-law partner and/or children/dependents will be accompanying them for the entire duration of a clinical placement. Please see information about family accommodations and complete the request form here.

• In certain situations, a learner may be required to pay upfront for a private housing accommodation. In such circumstances, the learner will be reimbursed for the payment(s) however, the housing arrangement must be pre-approved by DME before any costs are to be incurred. Payments for private housing accommodations not pre-approved by DME will not be reimbursed.

• Alternate housing accommodations for learners who require special housing needs due to medical reasons will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and will only be provided by DME if such requests are substantiated by appropriate documentation provided by the Blundon Centre. 

• If a learner refuses to stay in a housing accommodation provided by DME for non-documented reasons (e.g. decor not to their liking, learner wishes to bring their pet), the learner is permitted to find alternate housing arrangements however, they will not be reimbursed for any payment associated with the accommodation.