Can they screw me?

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Rhabdoid

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Hi all, this is my thing: I'm transferring to another program to the severe dislike of my current one, with trash talking behind my back. My question is whether the current program can decide not to provide the "new" program with my rotation documents (evals, etc) at the end of the academic year. They told me that they would give me credit for the year, but basically I want to know if they're obliged to give my docs to the receiving program or can they screw me at the end of the year. Any "objective" comments are highly appreciated.
 
Hi all, this is my thing: I'm transferring to another program to the severe dislike of my current one, with trash talking behind my back. My question is whether the current program can decide not to provide the "new" program with my rotation documents (evals, etc) at the end of the academic year. They told me that they would give me credit for the year, but basically I want to know if they're obliged to give my docs to the receiving program or can they screw me at the end of the year. Any "objective" comments are highly appreciated.

The short answer is 'no', but the long answer is 'maybe'. A program director can't just simply refuse to hand over documents. I mean, I suppose it could happen, but one would not expect this to occur in the context of academic medicine.

More likely than outright refusal would be something akin to a union slow-down. The union workers don't abandon their garbage-picking duties or their bathroom-cleaning duties, but they just work more slowly -- enough to make city officials realize how much they need garbage-pickers and bathroom-cleaners. Similarly, I suppose your program director could just drag his feet ("I'm busy now, but I'll definitely send you those documents next week", "really you didn't get it? That's funny, because I told my admin assistant to fax them yesterday"). But I would still find even that to be surprising. We're professionals. This isn't middle school.

-AT.
 
But I would still find even that to be surprising. We're professionals. This isn't middle school.

-AT.

Are you serious?

I think I know where you were a resident (if you are who I think you are), and I was there too - which is why I find it even more quizzical that you would say the above.
 
I think as long as the next program wants you and knows you got credit (meaning you passed those rotations), those evals won't matter at all in the end. i dont think they give evals. u just get credits and move on.

you should be careful, they could make it so you don't have credit for a rotation(s) making you unable to even jump to the next program or advance. that would be a problem. hopefully they won't do that. good luck on that...
 
They can (at this time) still refuse to give you credit for rotations. If they decide to "screw" you later, there's nothing you can do about it now. As far as the talking behind your back, stay above it and just do your job and be as pleasant to other people as you can, and work hard. Try to get your contract for the other program signed ASAP. Then you hope that your current program gives you 1 year credit. If they don't and your new PD is understanding, at worst you'd be stuck with a few months of extra rotations at the end of your new residency. I guess in theory your new program could refuse to take you, but if you've already signed a contract to go there it would be hard for them to do. Your old program CAN drag their feet, etc. in producing the required documents. I don't think that it will do you any good to worry about it now. If it became really bad, you could threaten them or take legal action (once you are gone). In your current situation I don't see how it can possibly benefit you to spend time worrying about it now.

I had a friend in a similar situation and he did have some trouble with the old program sending evaluations, etc. to the new one. However, eventually they did produce the stuff. He did not get credit for all of the rotations, but got credit for most of them.
 
I agree with the above advice. Just keep doing your job well, work hard and things should be ok in the end.
 
Thanks. Well, I'm doing my best to keep things cool, and do my job as best as I can as to not give them any excuse to deny me credit for subsequent rotations. So far my evals from faculty have been very good despite the fact that I said I wanted to leave. The new program is solid in taking me despite it all, but I have not yet signed a contract. Well well, no sense in worrying now. Just gotta keep at it, and let things take their course.
 
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