Advice needed: Want to quit

[NK9]

Hi everyone. After graduating residency this year I took up a sub specialty fellowship in my field of interest (outside of the match, non ACGME accredited). It’s affiliated with my home program and it’s been a month since I’ve started.

The PD is very demoralizing, condescending, and not supportive whatsoever. They expect me to do certain things and when I do them they tell me that’s not how they wanted it done (why couldn’t you just tell me how you wanted it done in the first place?).

I applied for the main fellowship of my choice this cycle which isn’t going greatly. But I spent the last one year stressed and anxious about my future and it’s taking a toll on me and I not longer want to risk my mental health. I have 3 options now the way I see it:

1. Quit and lower my already low chances of matching (no scheduling issues because I’m the only one doing it and I do not have inpatient responsibilities or my own panel of patients)
2. Suck it up and spend the rest of the year trying my best to continue to please this PD while I excuse myself to go cry in the bathroom
3. Just continue to work at my own pace and be apathetic to whatever this PD throws at me

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[Crayola227]

I would go for option 3 unless the PD might fire you or hurt your chances for what you are trying to achieve career-wise.

Sadly usually when it comes to training generally the best advice is to just muddle through.

 

[NK9]

I would go for option 3 unless the PD might fire you or hurt your chances for what you are trying to achieve career-wise.

Sadly usually when it comes to training generally the best advice is to just muddle through.

Career-wise I’m happy to be a Hospitalist at this point. Oh man. I didn’t even think of the PD firing me. Any insight as to how common it is for PDs to fire fellows in non ACGME programs?

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Prob not common since you are likely making fellow pay and there is no actual accredited fellowship. Much more common for someone to quit in that scenario.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Hi everyone. After graduating residency this year I took up a sub specialty fellowship in my field of interest (outside of the match, non ACGME accredited). It’s affiliated with my home program and it’s been a month since I’ve started.

The PD is very demoralizing, condescending, and not supportive whatsoever. They expect me to do certain things and when I do them they tell me that’s not how they wanted it done (why couldn’t you just tell me how you wanted it done in the first place?).

I applied for the main fellowship of my choice this cycle which isn’t going greatly. But I spent the last one year stressed and anxious about my future and it’s taking a toll on me and I not longer want to risk my mental health. I have 3 options now the way I see it:

1. Quit and lower my already low chances of matching (no scheduling issues because I’m the only one doing it and I do not have inpatient responsibilities or my own panel of patients)
2. Suck it up and spend the rest of the year trying my best to continue to please this PD while I excuse myself to go cry in the bathroom
3. Just continue to work at my own pace and be apathetic to whatever this PD throws at me

You're in fellowship. It's okay if you now grow a spine and talk back. I would certainly tell this PD **** like "if you wanted it that way, why don't you do it yourself?" I mean, **** this person. You're not a resident that will have no career if this idiot tries to make your life hard. Their power comes from your fear, but you have to realize you have nothing to fear. Just be a dick and do the bare minimum until you find out in November if you matched. At that point, just quit

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Career-wise I’m happy to be a Hospitalist at this point. Oh man. I didn’t even think of the PD firing me. Any insight as to how common it is for PDs to fire fellows in non ACGME programs?

It's very hard for anyone in fellowship to be able to fire you. Go to HR right now and file a complaint against this person. Start with the upper hand that anything they do from now on is seen at retaliatory

 

[Mad Jack]

It's very hard for anyone in fellowship to be able to fire you. Go to HR right now and file a complaint against this person. Start with the upper hand that anything they do from now on is seen at retaliatory

Given that it's non-accredited things are a bit more challenging since there are no rules aside from regular at-will (in most states) employment law. But if one was to be fired, well, oh no, you'll just have to go and make attending money at a job you choose rather than one that makes you miserable and you feel trapped.

Given that the PD sounds like they wouldn't give the best recommendations and you'll walk away without any qualifications anyway, how much benefit does this fellowship have versus working as a hospitalist in a more academic department to build your credentials and connections for fellowship later?

 

[rokshana]

Hi everyone. After graduating residency this year I took up a sub specialty fellowship in my field of interest (outside of the match, non ACGME accredited). It’s affiliated with my home program and it’s been a month since I’ve started.

The PD is very demoralizing, condescending, and not supportive whatsoever. They expect me to do certain things and when I do them they tell me that’s not how they wanted it done (why couldn’t you just tell me how you wanted it done in the first place?).

I applied for the main fellowship of my choice this cycle which isn’t going greatly. But I spent the last one year stressed and anxious about my future and it’s taking a toll on me and I not longer want to risk my mental health. I have 3 options now the way I see it:

1. Quit and lower my already low chances of matching (no scheduling issues because I’m the only one doing it and I do not have inpatient responsibilities or my own panel of patients)
2. Suck it up and spend the rest of the year trying my best to continue to please this PD while I excuse myself to go cry in the bathroom
3. Just continue to work at my own pace and be apathetic to whatever this PD throws at me

So I take you are doing something like a heart failure fellowship for cards … if you want cards and have had interviews, then wait til the match and if you match wait it out…it’s less than a year.
If you don’t match and plan on trying again, again wait it out… it will be a red flag for your application next year if you quit.
If you do y match and plan to move on ad go be a hospitalist… quit and go be a hospitalist.
Remember…they can hurt you more… fellowship is no different than being in residency…head down, get through it without a spotlight…yes PD could fire you and you don’t have the protection of the ACGME guidelines.

 

[TransformerInWestVirginia]

if you would be happy being hospitalist, I would consider quitting. Life is short enough (especially after all this training) to be unhappy even if it is for a year.

But if you think fellowship is in the play, then I would say that makes it tougher.