issue?

[cherryalmond]

I am just finishing up residency and have two job offers. The one I had planned on taking is a hospital job. The issue is I recently found out that the psychiatrist that I saw briefly several years ago is one of the attendings at this hospital. I saw him during my first year of residency for anxiety mostly due to public speaking but also claustrophobia. I know he is not allowed to tell anyone about my psychiatric history or that he treated me but I still feel very awkward about this. I am considering not accepting the job because of this. Is this a valid reason or am i being silly? thanks

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[sunlioness]

How directly would you be working with him? If it were me, I think I'd be uncomfortable if he were my boss. I think if we were just peripheral colleagues and the job was what I wanted in all other respects, I'd probably try to get over the weirdness. It's definitely awkward though, I don't blame you for feeling that in the least.

 

[vistaril]

I am just finishing up residency and have two job offers. The one I had planned on taking is a hospital job. The issue is I recently found out that the psychiatrist that I saw briefly several years ago is one of the attendings at this hospital. I saw him during my first year of residency for anxiety mostly due to public speaking but also claustrophobia. I know he is not allowed to tell anyone about my psychiatric history or that he treated me but I still feel very awkward about this. I am considering not accepting the job because of this. Is this a valid reason or am i being silly? thanks

yeah, you're being silly. it's not like you saw him for something embaressing......take the job if that's the one you prefer.

 

[cherryalmond]

Wow,thanks for the replies. I didn't think anyone would answer. I do not think I would be working directly with him but it is a possibility. The hospital runs several clinics and I do not know if I will be assigned to the one he works in. It is definitely weird and I feel a little exposed I guess. I am sure he will be at grand rounds and dept meetings that i will be expected to attend as an attending.

 

[strangeglove]

Think of it as exposure therapy.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

I am just finishing up residency and have two job offers. The one I had planned on taking is a hospital job. The issue is I recently found out that the psychiatrist that I saw briefly several years ago is one of the attendings at this hospital. I saw him during my first year of residency for anxiety mostly due to public speaking but also claustrophobia. I know he is not allowed to tell anyone about my psychiatric history or that he treated me but I still feel very awkward about this. I am considering not accepting the job because of this. Is this a valid reason or am i being silly? thanks

If you "saw him briefly" there's at least an outside chance he doesn't remember you! I have patients coming back to me after 4 years and I have to re-read the chart even after I see them to remember anything about them previously.

If it still feels "weird" after the first couple of casual encounters (and I should add--there are different kinds of weird...I'm attending at the hospital I did my MS3 clerkship at, and even after 13 years, I can't quite stop feeling like I'm still the dumb student when I'm around some of them!), ask to meet with him to talk it over and formally terminate. It may clear the air and help you feel more confident in your new working relationship.

 

[digitlnoize]

I am just finishing up residency and have two job offers. The one I had planned on taking is a hospital job. The issue is I recently found out that the psychiatrist that I saw briefly several years ago is one of the attendings at this hospital. I saw him during my first year of residency for anxiety mostly due to public speaking but also claustrophobia. I know he is not allowed to tell anyone about my psychiatric history or that he treated me but I still feel very awkward about this. I am considering not accepting the job because of this. Is this a valid reason or am i being silly? thanks

I wouldn't worry about it. Public speaking anxiety and claustrophobia are so prevalent in society (and far too many people don't seek treatment), that there is nothing embarrassing or detrimental about being seen for these issues. It's like being embarrassed for seeing a PCP for vertigo. Just not a big deal.

If you were seeing him for some hardcore DBT for your BPD, or if he did your med management for your Bipolar w Psychosis, that's a different story.

 

[shan564]

ask to meet with him to talk it over and formally terminate.

I was about to say the same thing. I'm sure he'll handle the situation like a professional.

Imagine any job where you have any level of tension with a person with whom you work very closely (maybe they are just overbearing and incompetent, maybe they stole your girlfriend, maybe they were your psychiatrist, maybe they're married to your mom). You'll inevitably have some arguments and have a "weird" environment, but you quickly figure out how to extinguish the tension and work with each other (yes, I'm thinking about a couple of specific examples, but that would be a very long story). And that's just the worst-case scenario.