Afraid I get denied for medical license?

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Code99

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I appreciate feedback...My story is I switched residencies in the middle of the year and I resigned from the first residency to the program director I gave him 60 days notice,the problem was that I didnt resign to the GME office I didnt know that I had too (I know very stupid) I thought the PD would contact the GME office..anyways I got a phone call from the GME director 2 days after I left the program and made me come and sign a form that says mutual termination of contract for unprofessional behaviour. now I am about to finish my 2nd residency and apply for a state license and I am really afraid I get denied because of this incident, all years of hard work will vanish because of stupid ignorant me... I am doing very good in my 2nd residency and PD is very pleased with me...

I really appreciate you feedback
 
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You may want to check in with your state's licensing board (or the board of whichever states you'd like to practice in) to get a more appropriate answer as it may vary from state to state. IMHO, if you have successfully completed a residency and are BE/BC, a previous case of unprofessional behavior should not prevent you from getting licensure in most case, as long as the incident didn't involve criminal or legal repercussions. This may also be something you may want to discuss with your director or CME committee; I assume they were aware of your situation prior to accepting you into their residency and would at least be aware of their own state's licensing policies, and so probably would not have taken you if they felt you would be unable to obtain licensure later on.
 
I don't think the label "unprofessional behavior" in the language of your prior employment agreement is the "unprofessional behavior" about which licensing boards would be concerned. The boards would be concerned about improper or unethical behavior in regards to patient care/interactions. Your situation is basically an issue of dispute related to terms of an employment contract; I would be surprised if there were a problem but it is advisable to check with the particular board.
 
Thanx for reply...I will check with the state board...
 
There are two questions here.
1. Did you do anything wrong? No. You gave 60 days notice, which hopefully fully meets the terms of your contract. You gave it to the responsible program director, to whom you report. If this is consistent with the notice required in your contract, then you are on solid ground.
2. Did you in any way commit unprofessional behavior by resigning through your boss? No. Did you not follow a paperwork procedure? Possibly, but this does not rise to the level of unprofessional behavior. If you gave proper notice to your program, and they were aware of your intentions, you should be on solid ground. You may wish to discuss this with an attorney who is experienced in licensing matters in both states.

This is likely not to be a problem at all. Most state apps will ask a question like, "Have you ever been terminated from a residency, or resigned under the threat of termination?"

You did not. You gave the program director 60 days notice. If you did sign the "mutual termination form," that was the mistake. But, assuming you have a letter or other evidence you gave the PD adequate notice, you should be fine, and even absent that, any explanation required by the board should rapidly put this to rest. I doubt an institution, if called on it, would be able to justify this charge, outside of your signature on the form.

The moral of this story is don't sign something just because someone says you have to, especially if you don't agree with what you are signing. For those who might be facing this situation in the future, Always ask yourself the following questions:

1. If I do not sign this form, what are the consequences of not signing it?
Can the institution with-hold something I need or otherwise hurt me?
Will signing a form with adverse and incorrect information hurt me more?
If in doubt, tell the folks you need a couple days to study the matter. You'll be in touch.
Then check with a qualified attorney.

2. If do sign the form, how will it help me in the future?

If you disagree with information on the form, or there is information on the form that is untruthful, incorrect, or otherwise wrong, then cross it out, amend it, or otherwise make it say what you want to say. Then initial it and date it. Remember, the folks that want you to sign this form are not necessarily your friends, and also remember anything you say or write is evidence, and might be used against you. If they don't like you amending the form, they will say so, they will badger you, but there's very little they can do to force you to sign anything against your will.



Normally, a program that you are switching to requires a letter from the old program, and your present program should be able to produce that.

These days, the phrase "unprofessional behavior" can mean nearly anything from not brushing your teeth to really awful things. There was no unprofessional behavior here, and the fact that you've completed another residency should attest to that.

The states will want you to answer their questions truthfully and directly, and without deceit. If your state asks a specific question then answer it, directly. If they do not, then complete the application.
 
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