FSM Student Research Conference Reimbursement Fund

The University exists to conduct teaching, research, and public service. Expenditures of University funds for travel must occur in furtherance of this mission, and a business purpose must exist for each instance of expenditure. Reimbursements to individuals will not be made prior to completion of travel and will be based upon Office and University guidelines, including the appropriateness of each expense transaction and sufficient documentation. A summary of guidelines can be found below, but is not meant to be inclusive and is subject to change.

Questions regarding support and documentation of specific expenses should be directed in advance of the conference registration by emailing Cleo Wade. 

• The FSM Student Research Conference Fund is available for AOSC, MD/MPH, MD/MA and MD/MS students at FSM. MD/MSTP Students are not eligible for the FSM Student Research Conference Reimbursement Fund.
• The conference stipend is for conferences within the U.S and Canada only. 
• Eligible candidates may present any first-author research they performed at FSM, AOSC or not.
• Eligible candidates may use the FSM Student Research Conference Reimbursement Fund for ONE conference within the U.S or Canada during their 4 year tenure at FSM. 
• Publication of student research is highly encouraged, but not a requirement to qualify for the FSM Student Research Conference Reimbursement Fund.

• Attendance for first-author presentations to a national, regional, or local conference must be authorized in advance by Student Research Director Matt Feinstein, MD or by Student Research Program Manager Liza Rivnay.

• To apply for the FSM Student Research Conference Reimbursement Fund, please complete the conference attendance request form 6-8 weeks ahead of your conference. Your request will typically be reviewed within 3 business days of submission. Once approved, you will be instructed to register for the conference.

• FSM Student Research will cover registration fees and travel for up to $1250 for students to attend one conference only within the U.S and Canada to present their first-author research.
• Registration fees include the cost of registration to the conference, conference membership fees (if the cost of membership + registration is less than than the cost of nonmember registration), and abstract submissions fees only to the one conference the student will be attending. Other abstract submission costs are typically covered by the mentor.
• Acceptable travel expenses include: airfare, baggage fees, transportation to and from the conference hotel room/motel/Airbnb, taxi/Lyft/Uber to and from airports, mileage if driving; tolls and parking, lodging in hotel/motel/Airbnb, and meals.
• In addition to the conference expenses, FSM Student Research will cover poster printing costs. Poster printing is separate from the FSM Student Research Conference Reimbursement Fund. Please see "poster printing" below.

Poster printing costs are separate. Poster printing is covered by FSM Student Research for all non-MSTP students for any conference or presentation. Any non-MSTP FSM student is eligible for one printing request per poster (e.g., if you're presenting the same poster more than once, please reuse the poster. If you are presenting multiple different posters, you may print each poster once). 

To print your poster, please fill out the poster printing request form to have your request immediately routed to Quartet Digital Printing. We highly recommend that you request your poster to be printed at least 3 days prior to your presentation.

Travelers should use the least expensive airfare, including non-refundable and penalty fares, based on a two-hour "window" on either side of their preferred departure or arrival times. Air carrier selection cannot be biased by the traveler’s frequent flyer affiliation. The lowest cost air travel should take precedence.

Trip travel insurance is not reimbursable. 

• For Lyfts, Ubers, Taxis, etc. only the person whose name on the receipt will be reimbursed. To be reimbursed for a Lyft/Uber, please include a detailed receipt with your name, Lyft/Uber amount, tax amount, tip amount etc. If you travel by public transportation, please save the itemized receipts and submit them with your expense report.
• If you need to rent a car, please seek prior approval from Liza Rivnay.

• All meal receipts must be itemized. Students should use reasonably priced restaurants and dining rooms. Original itemized receipts must be submitted with the Expense Report (see below) when requesting reimbursement.
• Breakfast and Lunch Allowable: For breakfast and lunch meals, the reimbursement policy is based on documentation of reasonable and actual expenses, supported by original itemized receipts.
• Dinner Allowable: For dinner the maximum allowable is $40 and is based on documentation of reasonable and actual expenses, supported by original itemized receipts.
• Alcohol will not be reimbursed.

• Students must book standard accommodations in reasonably priced, commercial class
  hotels, motels, or Airbnbs. Students should ask for educational discounts where available. Students will be reimbursed for the reasonable and actual cost of lodging. 
• If there is more than one occupant to a room, the cost should be split equally between all individuals and charged separately.
• The Business Travel News Corporate Travel Index showing average negotiated hotel rates for the top 100 U.S. and international travel cities is available for reference on the NU Travel website. To verify conference site hotel rate, include conference literature with the Expense Report when requesting reimbursement.

Approval from Matt Feinstein or Liza Rivnay is solely for the purpose of having your registration fee(s) and travel fees covered and does not grant permission for being absent from class or a rotation; this must be independently obtained by the student.  Students will be excused from a required session(s) for their scheduled date of presentation only. Please provide written notification of your presentation date to Coordinator for Student Support, Allison Matricaria.

Any additional day(s) for attendance will require use of personal day(s). If you will be missing a required session(s), please email that information to Allison Matricaria to request the absence.

Within 14 days of completing travel, the traveler must submit an Expense Report and supporting documentation, including itemized receipts. All submissions must be uploaded here. 

Complete your expense report here.
Fill in the following Expense Report fields:
1. Name
2. Address (current, local)
3. City, State, Zip
4. Phone
5. Date(s) of Travel
6. Business Purpose: Student Research travel to the __________________conference, City, State
7. Explanation of Expense and Amount including Total Expense
8. Complete Visitor Certification Signature Section
9. Include receipts. Receipts should be taped in date order on 8.5 x 11 paper (single sided) and multiple receipts can be included on the same page.
To verify conference site hotel/motel/airbnb rate, include conference registration literature.

Original itemized receipts must be submitted for all travel expenses including airline and rail, hotels, meals, automobile rental, and incidentals. The Office and University reserves the right to withhold reimbursement of expenditures lacking receipts and a valid reason for such an omission.

Please take care to ensure that all receipts are legible and well organized. It is recommend to take a photo/scanning your receipts as soon as you receive them.

Please organize your receipts for reimbursement in the following order:
1) Conference registration fees
2) Airfare/baggage
3) Hotel/motel/airbnb (if there is more than one person in a room, the cost of the room should
be shared equally with the other attendee(s)
4) Ground transportation
5) Itemized meal receipts

Attach receipts, conference literature and any notes to the Expense Report and submit the materials here.

Please note:
Purchases made using Venmo, Zelle, or any other peer to peer app will not be reimbursed for any expense. Purchases made using gift cards will not be reimbursed for any expense. 

If necessary, you will be contacted with questions and/or to submit additional paperwork. The reimbursement request will then be reviewed by the Office of Medial Education and Accounts Payable. Accounts Payable reserves the right to question any expenses or documentation on the University’s behalf. Please allow 6-8 weeks for your reimbursement check to arrive as the process goes through multiple levels of approval.