The Committee of Interns and Residents is the oldest and largest housestaff union in the country, representing more than 13,000 interns, residents, and fellows in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Membership in CIR gives residents an important voice to improve their salary and working conditions, their education and training, and the quality of care they provide to patients.
CIR brings together housestaff in a chapter-based organization whose purpose is to represent its doctor-members and the interests of the patients and communities they serve through the use of collective bargaining and resident advocacy.
CIR envisions and works to achieve:
- better working and training conditions for residents, and
- a more humane, effective and accessible quality health care system for all.
Toward these ends, CIR engages in organizing, contract negotiations and enforcement, patient advocacy, and legislative and political action.
To advance common goals, CIR builds cooperation among housestaff from all departments and specialties and also works in coalitions with other unions and health care employees; with community and patient groups; and with medical student and professional organizations.
Elected officers at chapter, regional, and national levels represent the diversity of CIR’s members and the range of institutions and regions in which they work. CIR pools resident resources nationally to provide staff, technical support, and organizational continuity to enable housestaff to have an effective voice on the issues they and their patients face.
While maintaining its unique identity and special strengths, CIR achieves its mission as an affiliate of Service Employees International Union working with other doctors and other health care employees.
