Breaking a PGY-2 contract

[sacrh]

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Dear All,

I am currently a PGY-1 IM resident (selected only for PGY-1 in current program). I have been selected for a PGY-2 position in IM with another program. After I signed a contract with them, (after about 1 month) I was selected for a PGY-2 CA1 position in a specialization with another programm (which I applied much in past). The opportunity I was very much waiting for.

Off course the PD was not very happy when I told him, that I wont be able to join them as PGY-2. I want to know how serious is the issue. The implications of breaking the contract with the IM PGY-2 program OR if any legal issues involved. What may be the worst case scenarios I will be facing ?

!Thanks
Sacrh

 

[LADoc00]

dont think anything will really happen. The whole contract match thing is completely one sided to the hospital's advantage, so screw them.

Think about: they can fire you at will for any reason, but somehow YOU are obligated to do a year service with them?? WTF, is that a job or a tour of duty in Iraq?

Tell them you want a $20,000 retainer and you'll think about coming.

 

[f_w]

I want to know how serious is the issue. The implications of breaking the contract with the IM PGY-2 program OR if any legal issues involved. What may be the worst case scenarios I will be facing ?

What you are asking for is legal advice. Maybe one of the ex-lawyers running around here will volunteer to give it to you.

There are two aspects to this:
- Employment law: Typically, nobody can force you to work for them if you don't want to, and unless your contract specifies any damages for breaking it, you shouldn't have a problem to terminate the contract before you even start.
- That physician professionalism thing: It sounds like you didn't get your position through the match, so you are not under the rules of the match agreement. If you tell them you won't come now, they will have 90 days notice and won't be able to make a case that you harmed their program by not showing up. Also, as long as you don't ever work for that place, you will never be in the awkward situation of having to ask for a letter of recommendation from them.

Worst case scenario: The PD gets really pi##ed and calls up the new place that 'selected' you. Your new PD listens and decides that you are to unreliable a character to hire you. In that scenario, you might end up without a job july 1st.