Resident Vacation Scheduler

Resident Vacation Scheduler allocates vacation weeks for U.S. ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs. It is a strong fit for small programs that need seniority-based allocation and defined exceptions; the free tier is capped at five residents, and iPhone is the only supported platform.

Overview

This is a focused vacation scheduler, not a comprehensive residency scheduling system. Its rules address common allocation pressures—who gets priority, how many residents can be away, and how to handle certain overlapping requests. That focus is useful when vacation planning is the specific gap, but programs needing rotation scheduling will need another tool.

Key features

• Seniority and conflict controls: Vacation rounds use PGY seniority, check conflicts within each level, and enforce a program-wide cap on residents off in a week. This gives administrators consistent allocation guardrails, though the product does not replace broader scheduling tools.
• Religious holiday exceptions: Same-level conflicts can be bypassed for religious holidays, and the global cap can be relaxed when all overlapping requests are religious. Programs can accommodate these requests without abandoning the standard rules for every vacation week.
• International travel: Consecutive vacation weeks requested for international travel stay together, a practical benefit for residents whose travel requires more than one week away.
• Schedules across years: Programs can run multiple academic years in parallel, and residents can view past schedules after the purchase year ends. That preserves access to prior plans without extending the purchase term.
• Access and privacy: Administrators sign in with Apple or Google; residents join with a unique one-time code. The privacy policy says data is transmitted over HTTPS, session tokens use encrypted on-device storage, and user data is not sold or shared with advertisers for marketing. Users can delete accounts and associated data in the app or by email, while administrators can delete resident profiles.

Pricing

The free plan costs nothing, requires no payment, and supports self-service signup for up to 5 residents. It is a sensible starting point for a small program, but the five-resident cap rules out larger cohorts.

Paid tiers are one-time purchases covering one GME academic year, rather than annual renewals. Starter costs $299, paid once for up to 20 residents; Standard costs $699, paid once for up to 50; and Pro costs $999, paid once for up to 150. Each is an Apple in-app purchase, so the right tier depends on program size and requires another purchase for a later academic year.

Institutional costs $3,500, paid once for unlimited residents, covers one GME academic year, and is sold by direct license through the maker. It suits programs that exceed the Pro limit, but is a substantial step up from the capped tiers. The maker invites questions and early-access inquiries at [email protected].

Platforms

The app is for iPhone and requires iOS 15.1 or later. The maker says it is completing App Store review. Programs whose administrators or residents need Android, desktop, or web access should look elsewhere.

Who it's for

The product is aimed at U.S. ACGME-accredited programs in surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, and subspecialties. It makes the most sense for teams that need vacation allocation with seniority, conflict checks, religious-holiday exceptions, or protected consecutive travel weeks—not for programs seeking rotation scheduling.

Pros and cons

• Pros: PGY-based rounds combine with per-level checks and a weekly cap, reducing the burden of managing those constraints separately.
• Pros: Religious-holiday exceptions and consecutive international travel weeks address cases that a rigid allocation process can mishandle.
• Pros: The free tier supports up to five residents, and past schedules remain viewable after the purchase year.
• Cons: Rotation scheduling is not included, so programs needing it must use another solution.
• Cons: iPhone-only availability excludes teams that need another platform.
• Cons: Paid tiers cover only one academic year, and the unlimited-resident Institutional license costs $3,500, paid once.

Alternatives

Medical Residency Scheduling Software is the category list for comparing broader options. Consider TigerConnect Physician Scheduling if cross-platform coverage matters: it supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, with enterprise-wide pricing through sales. Aurora-Med is another paid option, available for Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows.

Lightning Bolt may suit teams looking for clinical team scheduling across mobile, desktop, and web platforms; its licenses are per seat, with additional licenses required for a net increase in scheduled individuals. Amion offers a Pro plan for up to 10 schedules with self-serve setup, mobile and desktop access, and custom rules; its Enterprise plan supports unlimited schedules and organization-wide settings.

GME Manager is worth considering for a web-based workflow: its LaunchPad Pilot is free for 30 days, self-guided, and requires no credit card or commitment to convert. New Innovations is a paid alternative with Android, iOS, and web support. MedHub is another paid option, available on Android, iOS, and web, with API support.

CoverED may be a better fit for teams seeking a broader residency-program license: its bundled plan is $30 a month, billed $25/mo annual, and includes a separate workspace, resident roles, custom rotation blocks, and per-block site assignment. It also offers a free trial.

Verdict

Choose Resident Vacation Scheduler when a U.S. ACGME-accredited program needs vacation allocation built around seniority, conflict checks, and specific religious-holiday or international-travel exceptions. Its free tier is practical for up to five residents, while larger programs can buy a one-year tier sized to their roster. Look elsewhere if rotation scheduling or access beyond iPhone is essential.